Knight in Shining Armor
by scripturient3201
Summary: A young woman on the run from her past. A couple of Irish boys with a mission from God. Will they be able to heal her broken spirit? Will she be able to handle the boys next door? ConnerXOC
1. Chapter 1

"Oh, come on!" She sighed, finally figuring an angle where she could push against the wall for leverage. The corner dug into her back for a second, and then hit against the base of her skull. "Ow!" She rolled for a moment before getting up to kick it. At least the stupid thing moved... an inch. It moved an inch.

She sat on it, taking a small break as her chest heaved. She pushed a bit of hair behind her ear. She really should cut it. Long as it was. The tug at the base of her skull told her she was sitting on the brown locks, but she hadn't the strength to move just now.

Stupid trunk. Stupid hallway. Stupid idiot who got herself into this mess! Stupid jerk-ass who started all nice and caring and turned into... Stupid! Stupid stupid stupid! She mentally cursed as she heard the elevator moving.

It was a loud machine noise, like everything needed a fresh coat of oil. One more thing to add to what this place needed.

She was thankful for the place, really she was. Even more thankful for the connections to get her a spot in one of the open apartments. But she'd never lived in an abandoned factory turned apartment rental before. Everything looked old and crumbly. Still felt a bit abandoned. Neglected. She sighed.

Enough of the pity party, she decided, getting up. She started to push the trunk again. She supposed she could've had it worse. This was New York. She cursed as the elevator stopped. She really needed to get this thing into the apartment. Another few feet. Almost there! She started pushing again.

"Need some help, Lass?"

She yelped, falling to the ground as the trunk slid a few more inches in her surprise. A hand in her face had her flinching, chest heaving.

"It's just a hand." Two men. There were two of them.

She looked up, accepting it after a moment. Though panic struggled to flood her veins with ice. Panic would do her no good. No, she had to remain calm. Calm... Right.

"Thanks." She mumbled. "I'm... I'm sorry. I'm moving as fast as I can."

"No trouble." The men looked a lot alike, same eyes, same height, same large winter coat. Same nice smiles. One was blond haired while the other had a darker hue. They were definitely from around these parts if the Irish brogue was anything to go by. They went to either side of the trunk and picked it up like it only had air in it, not a bunch of books and clothes and dishes. "Where too?" They looked back at her expectantly. It was the blonde one speaking the most.

She felt like she'd seen them somewhere before, but didn't quite trust herself at the moment. "Um... Right... Right there." She pointed to her door, wooden, chipped white paint, a bit of a dent in the bottom left side. She walked around them and unlocked it and they easily brought it inside.

"Oh hey, you got the old offices!" One of them said, maybe the brunette. They set it down on the floor of what was to be her living room. She was allotted two offices. A living room and a bedroom. They'd shoved a bathroom into her bedroom. She'd had to find a partition in China town for some enclosure.

"Thank you." Her voice was small, timid. She wrang her hands a bit like one might a wash rag to get excess water out of it. She kept her gaze to the floor, to their chests, to the room. Anywhere but at their faces.

"Our pleasure. Always like to help a pretty lass." The blond one laughed. "Say, you're that waitress from McGinty's, yeah?" She nodded. "Thought I recognized yeh!" He smiled. "I'm Conner, this dope is me brudder Murphy." He nudged his elbow.

"J-Jenna." She stuttered. She hadn't thought about running into customers here. They all seemed a lively bunch. Nice good hearted guys. But... "Thanks... for the help."

"Anytime." Conner was still smiling. Making her blush.

"If you need anyt'ing else, jus' give us a call. We're right next door." Murphy added, wrapping an arm around his brother.

She nodded. "Thanks." She said again. They walked past her, shutting the door behind themselves, leaving her to unpack.

She could hear them muttering through the walls. She hadn't thought about that either. Thin walls. Oh dear lord, what had she gotten herself into? She should have just stayed at Uncle Mick's. Her heart thudded in her chest for a moment. No, she couldn't do that to him. He had his own worries. His own life. He didn't need to be looking after a grown woman. He'd already given her a job to help her get back on her feet. She couldn't bear to ask for much more than that. He'd even pulled some strings and helped her get this place. It was only a few blocks away from the bar.

She started unpacking as she thought about her situation. It wasn't bad. Not really. Her own place. Finally on her own two feet. She had a job. She wasn't useless or stupid or... A tear fell down her cheek and splattered on the newspaper she'd wrapped her meager belongings in. Oh for Heaven's sake! She swiped furiously at her eyes and set to work.

It does no good to spill tears over anything! All it does is make everything worse. Made her eyes hurt on top of everything else. Made her feel like a child, a useless child. Made the pity come out in everyone's eyes. She shook her head, no. No more tears. She sucked it up. She'd stand on her own two feet. And it would be like this never happened.

Her phone went off and she jumped with a squeak at the suddenness of it. "H-hello?" She answered.

"Lass, I-it's m-m-me-e-e-e." Her uncle stuttered before he took the phone away and shouted. "Fuck! Ass!"

"You need me on shift tonight?" She prodded when he came back to the phone.

"If- if you don't mind."

She smiled. "I don't mind. I'll be there in a few." She hung up and searched the mess for her shoes and a coat. She never really thought it would be so cold in New York, then again, she never thought she'd be in New York either. She scrambled everything together, snatching her purse last minute. She locked the door, jiggling the handle to make sure, and gave a soft jog to the elevator. She started to close the door. Slightly surprised to be able to use it with ease. Despite the state of everything else, the doors seemed well oiled and easy to use.

"Wait!" She saw the two boys running up to her as she opened the lift door back up. "Thanks lass!" They looked a little worse for wear.

"Are you two..."

"Oh we're fine." Conner panted, waving her concerns away. "Boys be boys, eh Murph?"

"Yeah yeah." Murphy leaned against the side of the lift and patted his pockets, cigarette hanging from his mouth. "You got a lighter. I've left mine."

She immediately produced one from her pocket. "Keep it."

"Thanks, lass. You're a life saver." She blushed a bit, staying huddled in her corner until the lift came to a stop. She all but lurched out of the moving death trap. She hated elevators.

They stayed right behind her, the whole way to the bar. She didn't dare ask them where they were going, and they let her have her space. She assumed they wanted a drink if they were headed the same direction she was. She'd worked a few nights at McGinty's and saw them there two of the three days. That was why they looked so familiar. They were regulars, among those who sat at the bar and gave her uncle a hard time.

"So, yeh headed into work, Love?" One of them finally asked. Conner, she thought.

She nodded. "Yeah." She felt them step into stride on either side of her as they passed some people on the street. "Headed that way yourselves, right?"

"Yeah, thought we'd get a drink or two." Murphy added.

"Timing's impeccable." She mumbled, going to the door. Conner grabbed it before she could do much more than reach her hand up.

"After you, m'lady."

She blushed, mumbled a thanks and all but ran inside. She quickly set to work, taking a few deep breaths to turn on the charm she'd need to get through the shift.

It was already busy and Uncle's patrons wouldn't do well to have to put up with a timid little girl. Bad enough she was almost too short to reach the patron side of the bar. Being five foot nothin' was a chore. But when she managed to get out from behind the bar, she was an expert dodger. She usually did it with a book in hand, to have a tray was nothing.

"Hey! FuckAss! Get me a beer!" Was a usual call from a particularly boisterous customer, but he was good natured. Most of the patrons were. Doc, as they called him here, shook his finger at the boy like his was angry, but the smile gave it away.

She soon found herself back at the bar, putting up a large tub of dirty glasses. "Who's the kid?" She heard from behind her.

"That's Doc's niece, you damn wop!" She nearly giggled at Murphy.

She heard a slap of skin against skin and turned to find the shaggy newcomer glaring at Conner. "What can I getcha?" She smiled brightly, stepping on her tiptoes to seem a little taller without even noticing. She'd been doing this for a long time.

"Beer, not the Guinness." He insisted. She nodded and grabbed a tall glass.

"You gonna be tall enough, sweetheart?" He teased.

She ignored him, having no problem just grabbing the midpoint of the lever and tipping the glass to get the right angle. She handed it over, still on her tiptoes. "There you go." She danced away, spinning around Doc who appeared behind her with another large tub of glasses.

"Fuck, is she a ballerina?" The door to the back swung shut behind her.

"How's she doin' boys?" Doc asked after a moment, a lull in the bar as everyone settled down.

"Oh, she's fine." Conner waved off. "All moved in and ever'thing." He took a last drink and it was immediately replaced with another.

"Nobody's shown up?"

"...No? Why? She in some sort o' trouble?"

He went to open his mouth, but she came back out with a fresh batch of glasses. Murphy and Conner shared a look as Doc went to help another customer. They weren't stupid. Doc wanted her watched after for a reason. And no one moved into the old factory unless they had to.

Then again, she was a pretty lass, small, easily threatened, alone. Why wouldn't he want her looked after?

They stopped at the sound of a small clearing of a throat. "Would... Would you two ...Would you mind walking me back home?" She asked timidly. "I... I get off shift about... About two? If- If it's too late-"

"No, no, We'll be there." Conner assured with a smile.

"Thank you." She hurried off, a blush staining her cheeks.

"Mighty brave of her." Murphy noted, watching her scamper off, persona back in place.

"Yeah." Conner took a drag off a cigarette and stamped it out.

Rocco came back from talking to Brady. "Hey, another beer?" He called out. She flashed him a smile and gave him a fresh glass. "She's all right." He smirked.

"Keep yer eyes in yer skull, you know what's good fer yeh." Murphy warned.

"Aye, Doc sees yeh eyeballin' her like that, he'll make yeh pay yer tab early." Conner teased, giving him a tap on the chest.


	2. Chapter 2

"All set?" She asked, looking to her uncle. He was a portly, stocky fellow with white hair and glasses. She could see why everyone called him Doc. With his vest and rolled up sleeves, easy smile, it was easy to compare him to one of the Snow White dwarves.

"Aye, go-go on lass. The b-b-boys are waitin'." He gave her a hug and she went out the door.

The two men were waiting for her just outside, cigarettes hanging from their fingers. She hadn't expected them to be right there, but was imminently glad she hadn't had to wait. They both flashed her a smile and she shouldered her bag, shy once more. "Thanks. I... I know it's been a...a long day."

"Oh what kind of good catholic men would we be if we let a lass like you walk home alone?" Conner chuckled, flicking a bit of ash to the side.

Her head was down as she shuffled her feet a moment. "We... We should get going." She offered, not knowing how to reply to that.

"Aye lass." Murphy offered, leading the way.

She fell into step with them, taking two to their every one. "So, where you from Lass?" Conner tried, making small talk. All of them were dead tired, perhaps talking might make the walk a bit shorter. Certainly couldn't make it any more awkward.

"Moved around... a lot, actually. Mostly- mostly south of the-the mason- Dixon." She shrugged. "You two from here?" She offered in reply, chancing a glance at them out of the corner of her eye rather than using peripherals as she had been.

"Yeah. Born here. Neighborhood's a stone's throw away." Murphy answered, flicking ash into an alley.

She nodded.

"You work often?" Conner prompted.

She nodded. "When... When Uncle Mick needs me."

"Uncle Mick?"

She smiled. It was a nice, lopsided smile. "Nickname... Kinda stuck." She chuckled. Her eyes scanned the area ahead of them as her mind went to distant memories of brief meetings with her uncle when she was young. Trying to understand his stutter... "He thinks a lot of you two." She said after a few moments. She'd known he had eyes on her. He was too old fashioned to let her get away with being alone. But he'd also been too eager for her to take the apartment when she put her foot down about moving out of his house. Known he wouldn't just let his only niece be out in the world after everything she'd done to get there. No, he'd keep eyes on her.

This community was so close nit. She missed the open sky, the stars, the land. But the people… The easy smiles, the tired shoulders, the… the way they all seemed like family to each other. She could get used to that. Perhaps...

That made them smile. They opened the door for her- both the front and the one to the elevator. "We think a lot of him." Conner answered when they all settled into the elevator.

"I know." And she did. The easy way they all picked n him, the smiles they all had for him. The atmosphere of the bar, the way her uncle talked about them. She could feel the love and respect they all had for each other. Such a nice feeling to be around.

The elevator stopped on their floor and she walked behind them. They passed her door to stop at theirs. Though, they waited as she fumbled for her keys, trying to find the right one. She gave them a nervous smile and a soft spoken thank you and walked through the door.

Jenna closed it just as softly, leaning against it and locking it before she pushed off. She stumbled into the bedroom and flopped on the bed. Not even bothering to try and eat anything.

She stretched on the bed before reaching over to her nightstand to grab lotion, it smelled of honey and vanilla. She loved the smell. It was an overly-used smell. Easily indistinguishable in a crowded room because most women wore vanilla scented products. Such a feminine smell, warm, inviting. Pleasant. She massaged her sore and over abused legs. And her feet.

She'd need to go shopping when she woke up. Food was essential to surviving on her own. Her jaw stretched open in a yawn, listening to the murmur from next door. Indistinguishable mutterings that her tired ears couldn't understand. It was a soothing sound. They were far enough away to not disturb her, and yet close enough that if she needed them, they would be right there. Uncle had vouched for them vehemently, the only reason she'd asked for them to walk her home. Well, Uncle had made sure she'd asked them. Using her fear of the darkness against her.

Jenna woke with the sunlight in her face and the sound of a shower going. She used the toilet and heard cursing when she flushed the toilet. "Oops..." She'd have to apologize for that later. She made some eggs on her hotplate and ate as quickly as she dared, going through her grocery list. What she considered the living room also doubled as her makeshift kitchen. It was nice for a small, illegal apartment. The only thing actually provided was a fridge that she'd had to clean out. But the rent was manageable. She heard the two men next door moving around before the doors shut and they passed her door. A moment later, the elevator was going.

Alone. She sighed, waiting a few moments before she got dressed and walked out as well.

The market was crowded, but easily managed. Though, she had to take a few deep breaths every so often. Convince herself she didn't have to hurry. She had no time constraints. She could take as long as she needed. Grab whatever she wanted. If she wanted to deviate from the list, then she could. She grabbed a bag of chips and put it in the cart just to prove to herself she could. Walked a few feet, only to put it back with a sigh. She grabbed some bread instead.

She took a moment to breathe before she went inside her apartment, despite how heavy all the bags were. Once inside, though, she dropped the bags and set to making things right. It wasn't until she heard the door slam, making her jump with a squeak, that she noticed what time it was. She worked hard, trying to make her new place her home. Her little apartment was smelling nice with stew and she was unpacking books in a shelf she'd put together. She was going to have to buy a lot more shelves, her apartment was severely lacking.

Her mind started working. She really should apologize for this morning. And thank them for last night. It wasn't like she'd made more than enough food. She sighed, scooping a bit into a couple Tupperware containers and took a deep breath before kicking their door lightly, hands full. Conner opened the door, cigarette hanging from his lips. "Can I help you, Lass?"

He'd answered the door shirtless, pants hanging low on his hips. He smelled a bit, of raw meat and cigarettes. But the smile he managed to work around his lips was warm and his eyes held amusement.

She blushed and presented him with the food, feeling rather overwhelmed by the man and flustered at his appearance. Her own rather mussed with tangled hair she hadn't brushed after her market trip, and frumpy clothes as she tried to keep warm. That man, how could he just answer the door like that? Like he didn't effect someone… They said they were good Catholics! Did Catholics answer the door in a state of undress?! And how did he think of her? Oh, she should have just left well enough alone!

He accepted it curiously and she just twirled and went back home before he could open his mouth. He watched her go with a small smirk. "Who was that, Con?" Murphy called.

"Delivery." Conner laughed, turning to show him, shutting the door.


	3. Chapter 3

Jenna was in the back washing dishes when her cell went off. She ignored it the first time, not wanting to answer while on shift. But then it rang again. So, she checked it, but hit ignore upon finding a number she didn't recognize. Finished with the glasses, she brought them up front.

"Ah, just in time." Doc smiled, grabbing one from her. She smiled and started putting the rest up before serving other customers. She started to grab a fresh glass, only to be stopped by Rosie.

Rosie was a rather tall, lithe, red headed waitress with an alluring smile and lean curves. She was Jenna's senior at McGinty's, and easily out shined Jenna's attempts at serving customers. Mostly because she just couldn't seem to muster that cheerful disposition like Rosie could. Nor could she outdo that natural Irish brogue that eased the customers with the likeness, the familiarity.

She'd worked at the bar for four years… Three? Five? She thought… Well, Jenna couldn't compare with her measly two weeks, either way, nor with her southern twang of an accent that severely butchered the Irish accent her mother had given her.

"I got these guys." She jerked her head to Conner, Rocco, and Murphy.

"Ok." She backed off and went to go pick up some more glasses. Her smile never left. Though it was different from her professional smile. This one was softer, relief flooding her nerves at not having to serve over that huge bar.

And yet, it seemed Rosie did that all night. Any time she tried to serve at the bar, she was shoved aside and told to go pick up glasses. She didn't mind, much to Rosie's disappointment. It meant she didn't have to put that false confidence in her voice. The peppy bubble, have to stand on her tiptoes to reach the bar top.

By the end of the night, she was still exhausted, but at least only physically. And, despite that, at least her arches didn't ache so.

She grabbed her phone, finding no other missed calls, but one voice message.

"Jenna." Was all it said. It got her heart racing. It made her breath catch and her knees nearly give. It was like she was seeing things through a straw… or was that her breathing? She couldn't seem to catch her breath as she leaned on the sink.

She took a long time, long enough for the boys to come in, getting Doc's attention who was doing last minute clean up. "I thought- thought sh-sh-she -Fuck! Ass!" He'd thought she left long ago.

"Right..." Conner pushed past and went into the back. Finding her leaning against a sink, head down, staring at her phone. "Everythin' all right, love?"

She jumped. And that look couldn't be covered fast enough. It took a moment too long for her to recognize him. A moment that Conner saw everything. Eyes wide with panic, tears at the corners that threatened to fall, the 'O' shape of her mouth as she gasped in surprise.

Blushing, she mumbled something incoherent, stuffing her phone in her pocket, using that as an excuse to duck her head and let her hair fall, forming a wall between them. Meager though it was, with her hair still pulled up. She grabbed her purse out of the cubby and rubbed at her eyes. She looked exhausted.

Doc gave her a curious look, tried to reach out to her, but she jerked away, still attempting to recover herself.

"I'm fine. I just zoned out, is all." She assured, going back to hug him gingerly at the hurt in his eyes. "I'll see you next time." She quickly went out the door, leaving her escorts to catch up this time.

"Hey now, easy!" Murphy called.

"What's wrong now, Lass?"

"It's nothing." She insisted, fiddling with a bit of hair that had fallen from her bun. She kept them in her peripheral, looking up at the path ahead.

"Hell it is, you're using that bar voice." Murphy scoffed.

She blushed. "You- you don't know me." Now she was defensive and they definitely wouldn't get anything out of her.

"Don't have to know yeh to be concerned, Love." Conner amended, giving Murphy an irritated look. He just rolled his eyes and returned it.

"It's... It's nothing important." She shook her head, a finality in her tone. They couldn't push her.

This time, the walk was silent.

She didn't look at them, but absently mumbled a thanks before she went in and locked the door behind her. Inside, their own apartment, they heard her shuffle before a creak signaled she'd flopped onto her bed.

The apartments were so different, one might think they were from two separate buildings, two separate worlds. Where hers had walls and dark colors and carpeted rugs and nick knacks, theirs was bare as the day they moved in. Large and open, two mattresses and a couch, a few shelves, a table piled high with fast food containers and ashtrays. A small TV. No privacy, that was for sure.

Something had happened. Something major enough for her to withdraw.

Doc wouldn't tell them everything, but it didn't take a genius to figure out. She'd gotten into some sort of trouble and moved here. The flinching at hands, making special care not to touch anyone, the jumping at loud noises. That face...

Her shower turned on.

What he had been able to tell them, made their blood run hot. How she'd come from Missouri to visit despite the strained relationship between her mother and him. How she'd sought him out, hoping for a place to stay, sanctuary, to escape her overbearing mother.

He'd been so stressed when she had shown up, dead on her feet, literally. Collapsing in his arms. How she'd gotten there was anyone's guess, but she'd made it and spent weeks in recovery.

When she'd finally had enough of "leeching off her uncle's kindness", she'd insisted on moving out, standing on her own two feet. He'd managed to finagle her into working for him, but living arrangements had to be made.

So, he'd gone to the boys. Hoping for an opening in the building. Hoping they could keep an eye on her. That trust had meant a lot and answered more questions than it didn't. He'd been so excited upon receiving that letter requesting she might visit her estranged uncle. Now, they could all see the worry. His Turrets becoming more pronounced than ever. It had worried the guys.

Luckily, a tenant had moved out, seeking their fortune elsewhere. Though it had taken some magic on their end to get the apartment next to theirs available instead of the one on the first floor.


	4. Chapter 4

Jenna sat in a mess, surrounded by wires and electronics. "Put the... put the red one..." She mumbled, "In the red... which red?! There's two of 'em!" She nearly growled. She'd been working on trying to set up her television for a good hour.

Her mother had raised her to be a lady. She didn't curse, her accent was well hidden, and she never spat. But right now, her frustration was at an all time high.

She'd bought a sound system and a television, but with all this frustration she was about ready to toss it out of the window. Be it the ingrained training or the electronics, which ever came first.

She wasn't sure what she was doing. She'd wanted to be able to listen to some music or watch a few movies, but was it really worth it? Couldn't she just read a book? Her to-read list was rather extensive. Her eyes flickered over to the bookshelf holding said books.

She sighed as someone knocked on her door. Her body tensed, expecting someone to announce themselves, but they just waited a moment and knocked again. Though the boys were at work, they were due any moment.

After a week, she'd kind of learned their schedule. Easy to do when she was as bored as she was with nothing to occupy her time or block the noise from her mind. That was why she'd bought this. Hoping to distract- at the very least 'til her shift tomorrow.

She pulled her hair up as she stood. Not wanting to seem quite so disheveled as she was. "Who is it?" She asked.

"Jenna." She froze for a moment. She knew that voice like the back of her hand. "Open the door, Jenna." He ordered.

Her hand shook as she put it to her mouth. How? How had he...? So soon?

"Jenna, you better open this door." He warned.

That voice, so familiar. It haunted her nightmares. That tone...

Her hand flew before she could think, panic flooding her system. "No, don't!" She opened the door quickly and stepped outside, shutting it behind her. "What do you want?" Her voice was soft, meek, tears pricked her eyes as she kept them focused on his chest. He was standing so close to her, she could count the hairs peeking from the top of his blue button up. She hadn't meant to shut the door. She shouldn't have let it.

"Really? You're gonna ask me that after all this time?" He chuckled. "I just wanted to check in on you. See how you were doing." He pressed a hand beside her head as he leaned forward, backing her even more against the door.

"I...I'm fine." Her heart was beating so loudly, she was sure he could hear it, tapping out an SOS against her ribs. She swallowed back the dryness in her throat.

"Are you?" He smiled, looking down his nose at her. It wasn't hard. He was so tall. "Let's see then." He started to push past her, but she pushed him back.

"No." She protested, hands against his chest to hold him there. Do not let him in. That little voice cried out. Her heart was really hammering now Surely he could hear it. Never once, had he liked the word no. He made sure she knew that. Oh, she was in so much trouble.

"No?" He nearly spat. All pretense gone. "You're gonna tell me no?" That was the man she'd seen last time. The time before...

Surely things had changed? Surely he wasn't going to do anything here? Surely she could be stronger?

Her mind raced as he stared at her with those hard, glinting brown eyes. A growl building in his throat. He was tense under her fingers as she sputtered. "We... We aren't together anymore. And... And I don't... I don't think-"

"That's right, you don't think. I just wanted to make sure you were doing all right after that moron..." He trailed off, eyes flicking over her terrified face. "But if you think you've got everything handled. Fine." He threw his hands up like he was finished, taking a step away.

"Michael, I'm fine." She assured, chancing a look up at his face. Those brown eyes were cold, calculating as she pleaded silently for him to just go. Please, just go.

"You don't look fine. Let me take care of you." He purred. "Let me make you something to eat? Or we could go out. We can talk about what happened?" He put a large hand on her shoulder.

She stayed very still for a moment, assessing the fact that he was that much closer to her neck. He was touching her, the hand was heavy, anchoring. She wasn't going anywhere he didn't want her to. She shook her head, gently nudging his hand off.

"I don't think... I don't think that's... appropriate." She mumbled the last word as he let his hand fall from her shoulder. Her eyes falling back to his chest.

"Appropriate?" He scoffed. "You're gonna talk to me about what's appropriate?"

"I think you should leave." She whispered. Her breath, when had she swallowed a straw? How long could she keep this up? How long would it be? Was he going to do something? How could she get out of this?

"Now you think? Which is it, you do or you don't?" His voice was sharp, a bit sarcastic, teasing, mean.

"Please, just go." She winced, tears prominent now.

This wouldn't end without some form of lashing, she was sure. Not when he was using that tone.

"Oh, don't start crying now. You brought this on yourself. You're in this hell hole because you ran from a good man. A good home! Because you couldn't take being happy. Can't stand to settle down. I've put up with your commitment issues for long enough!" He snapped, backing her against the door- though she was nearly plastered against it already. "It's time to come home, Jenna!" His heavy hand returned to her shoulder as the other caged her in, resting on the door beside her head.

"Hey!" Their heads snapped to see Conner and Murphy quick-marching up the hallway. In their moment, neither had heard the elevator. In his distraction, she turned the knob and practically fell inside, kicking it shut, her heart in her throat.

This couldn't happen! Oh God! What to do?! What to do?!

"Jenna!" He protested, pounding on the door before Conner pushed him off.

"How about you take a walk, mate." Conner offered before his voice hardened. "Before you get made to."

"How about you two stay out of this? This is a private matter. Jenna, come on!" He tried again. "Guys, I've got this. She's just upset it's taken so long for me to talk to her. Honestly, you'd think it was the end of the world. It'll be fine."

"Did you not hear him? Get lost." Murphy snapped.

The door opened and a pot flew out of the door, nailing Michael in the forehead.

"Shit! You bitch!" Blood welled between his fingers as he pressed them to the sudden cut above his eyebrow.

They all looked to the woman, chest heaving, anger blaring, before she lunged from her doorway into the hall. "I'm done! I'm done with your abuse!" She swung a baseball bat at him, making Conner lunge to the side to dodge a wild swing. "Go away!"

"Crazy bitch!" She backed him to the elevator. She swung again and he pushed her down, grabbing the bat from her.

Conner caught her before she hit the floor and shielded her while Murphy tackled the guy. "Are you crazy? I'm defending myself! Bitch is-"

"I saw! Take a walk." Murphy punched him, taking the bat and pushing the button. "We see yeh again and you'll regret it." He warned.

"Hey, hey now. It's me Lass. It's me." Conner held her close and her arms were like vices around his waist, her face buried in his chest. She was shaking like a leaf, her knees went out form underneath her, but he held her up as Murphy came back, bat in hand. She flinched at the sound of his footsteps. "Hey now, easy. It's just Murph. We got ya. He's gone now. He's gone."

She let out a whimper, hugging him so close, he thought she might bruise a rib, but he only held her tighter too. Looking at his brother over her head, both exchanged murderous eyes.

"Come on, let's get outta the hallway." He tried.

She shook her head, pulling away. She swiped her eyes. "I...I..." Jenna didn't know what to say. She couldn't believe she'd done that. But she'd heard them, outside her door. Heard him try to turn his charm on them. Heard them try to protect her. Getting in the middle of her mess."I'm sorry." She finally said, bending to pick up her pot- now a pretty intense dent in it.

"You ain't got nothin' to apologize for!" Conner assured.

She shook her head, refusing to look at them. "He'll be back."

"And we'll be here."

She shook her head. "I can't ask..."

"You don't have to. We're offerin'." Murphy offered the bat to her. They could both see the turmoil rattling around her brain as she stepped away from them, closer to her door. Just one step, as though the distance might help her.

"No..." She whispered. She didn't mean to involve... She shook her head. She wrapped her arms around herself, clutching the pot and bat like a shield. "You... You stay away from me." She turned and walked away, voice as broken as her spirit. "Please, just stay away."

Before they turned out just like him.


	5. Chapter 5

She ignored the knocking on her door. Hand to her mouth and huddled in the corner. Fear coursing through her system. "Jenna? It-it's me." Uncle Mick called out.

She didn't know what to do. Should she open the door? Should she pretend she wasn't home? But her body reacted on its own, all over again. She stopped herself at the door, that ugly white thing with peeling paint to reveal grey wood underneath.

"Jenna?" He asked again.

"Uncle Mick?" She whispered softly, so softly, he wasn't sure he'd heard her.

"Why did- didn't you tell me?" He asked. His heartbreak evident to her ears.

"It's... It's so stupid." She sighed tearfully.

"Let me in, aye? We-we can talk about it."

She shook her head like he could see her. "I'm... I'm... I don't want you to see me like this." Her hair was in tangles, cheeks tear stained, clothes rumpled.

"Fuck! Ass!" She jumped, stumbling away from the door. "Oh d-d-d-"

Nauseous, she wrapped her arms around herself. She sat on the edge of that trunk. "I'm... I'm fine." She could hear the break in her voice as she swiped at her eyes. There were mutterings on the other side of the wall.

"Ly- lying t-t-t-to youer -youer uncle!" He cried in a tone that was more a half-hearted attempt to make her smile.

She scuffed her foot. He was right. She was anything but fine. She didn't know what to do. She didn't know where else to go. Her last haven was tainted now. She had nothing. No one… How could she have thought it was a good idea to put her uncle- her only family- in this mess?

"Youer not alone lass." He said softly. "..Are you eating?" He stomach answered that for her. She'd not been able to stomach much and hadn't had the nerve to leave yet. "Let... Let the-the-the b-b-b-boys take you-you Fuck! Ass! sh-sh-sh- Oh, let' 'em take yeh out." She couldn't help but chuckle at his new tactic. But then the thoughts of before hit her.

"I'm… I'm terrified." She admitted. "Uncle… He was so nice!" Her head fell into her hands as she leaned on the wall. "They-"

"Now, the- these b-b-b-boys, they aren't l-l-like that." He promised. "I wouldn't let me- me own-own n-n-n-n- FUCK! ASS! -you near 'em if I didn't trust 'em!"

She sighed, swiping tears away before they could fall. "Please….I can't..." She sighed again.

"Sweetheart," He said softly, just on the other side of that wall. "You know it's all- all right t-t-t-to a-as-ask for help, yeah?" A sniffle could be heard on both sides. "We- we won't l-l-let nothin' 'appen. Yeah?" _Please open the door. Please…._ Their thoughts could almost be heard, calling to her through the barriers that encompassed her, trapped her in. "These boys are-are good boys. Sometimes, y-you just gotta have a bit of-of-of faith." His words echoed in her mind of a time when she was little. When her mother took her from the family she'd known, her uncle had told her those words long ago when her fear of never seeing him again was voiced as she clutched at him for dear life.

"I... I wouldn't want to trouble them." She tried, a hand wrapped around her elbow, head falling.

"No trouble!" Murphy piped up from her left, their apartment. A sound smack and a scuffle later, had her smiling despite her best efforts.

Her stomach grumbled again. She sighed. Uncle Mick thought a lot of those boys, and if no one else, she trusted her uncle. It was either sit there and continue to wallow, or start doing something about it. She opened her door. "If he-" She started, only to find her uncle was not alone in the hallway any more.

"We'll be there. Nothin'll happen. And if he shows up, it'll be his lumps." Conner had Murphy in a headlock. "Eh, Murph?"

"Let go!" He was muffled by Conner's armpit. Conner let him go and he rubbed his nose. "Go put on some deodorant before you scare her back in!"

"You- you'll be fine. I- I Tt-t-ttrust my boys." Uncle Mick assured, resting a gentle hand on her shoulder. Those eyes so kind and warm. Jenna sighed.

"I know." Her uncle went to the elevator with them, but separated on the street. He went to the bar and they went to the market. Her heart nearly stopped when she saw how crowded it was. Of course it was, it was the weekend. Conner wrapped an arm around her.

"We're right here, Love." He whispered.

"I can't do this." Her voice hitched as she shook her head, ready to run.

"Course you can." Murphy scoffed, "We ain't gonna let nothin' happen to yeh." Her shaking continued, but she took a step as Conner did.

"It's just any other trip." Conner assured softly. She was shaking like a leaf in his arms, but let him lead her inside. Subconsciously folding into him as her own hands had tight hold on his coat lapel. She nodded, taking deep breaths. Once inside, past the initial crowd, she eased up a bit, allowing them both a little more freedom. Though, she folded back into him any time some came close. Conner kept a lazy arm around her waist, reassuring and heavy, yet allowing her to pull away should she want to.

Walking down the aisles, Murphy started tossing in a bunch of chips and beer into the buggy. "Oh, don't t'row that in there!" Conner cried, picking up some of the chips.

"Why not, you eat 'em too."

"Not all of 'em ya nit." He smacked his brother upside the head lightly.

"See that shit?" Murphy pointed, eyebrows raised at Jenna, who only hid a small smile behind her hand, her own eyes glinting with mirth.

"Get some healthy shit." Conner muttered. "Don't make us look like a couple bums."

She smiled at the antics, a little more at ease. She had to at least try. Right? "I like the pringles." She offered. Her voice was stronger than had been the whole day.

"Oh yeah?" Conner grabbed a few cans and juggled them expertly, letting Murphy catch them and toss them in like they weren't just fighting. "Oh, Cheetos!" She tossed them in with a laugh.

"Girl after me own heart!" Conner cried dramatically, hand to his chest.

"You and yer fuckin' Cheetos." Murphy rolled his eyes.

"Oh don't even. Who ate the last bag?"

"Yeh ate my lays!"

"Oh, let it go, Murph!" Conner groaned, hand to his face.

She shook her head as Murphy flipped him off when he thought she wasn't looking. "I saw that." She nudged Murphy, who looked sheepish. She grabbed a loaf of bread and moved onto another aisle, a little easier.

They shared a smile, following after her.

She checked her watch and took a deep breath as she went down the vegetable aisle. She grabbed her purse in a tight hold and jumped when Conner put a hand on her shoulder. But she settled down at his silent question. "I... I can't choose." She said softly. "I forgot my list." She let her head fall at the lame excuse.

"Well, there are a lot of choices." He said thoughtfully hand on his chin as he scanned the shelves with her.

"Anythin' but potatoes." Murphy said, getting them all to chuckle.

She grabbed some carrots and a few ears of corn, some tomatoes. She was meticulous. Picking only the best ingredients she could find. By the time they made it to the cold part of the shop, most of the crowd had gone and she seemed to be breathing a little easier.

But when they went to the register, she checked her watch again. She hadn't thought to keep time with them there. But now, she was starting to panic, seeing the long lines. Hoping to distract her, Conner spoke up as she snuggled back into place at his side."Hey, whatcha thinkin' for dinner? That Chinese place?"

"Nah," Murphy shrugged.

"You never want Chinese. What about you, Love?"

"Hm? Um... No. I ... I thought...I thought..." She took a breath, the question dragging her from her muddy thoughts. "I was going to... to cook?"

"Oh no. It's so late. Why don't we just get somethin', Eh?"

"Yeah, when was the last time you ate?" Murphy prodded.

She shrugged, head falling once more as she scuffed her shoe. People were starting to pile up behind them, trying to get through the lines to reach other parts of the store.

"Well, we could get a pizza?" Conner offered.

"Nah, let's get a cheeseburger. That place around the corner's pretty good."

"I... We... We need to drop the... the food off anyways. I can..."

"Lass? You're shakin'." Conner turned to Murphy. "I'm gonna go outside with her, get some air. You got this?"

"Yeah."

"Oh, no. My- my-!" She protested weakly as Conner put his arm around her once again.

"Easy, Murph's got it." He herded her to the door. "Come on."

"But-"

"I'll be right behind yeh." Murphy assured.

Before she could protest much more, Conner had walked her out and she hadn't had the state of mind to refuse. He led her to a bench and sat beside her. "Easy now, deep breaths, lass." He rubbed her back and spoke calmly to her.

"My... I..." She couldn't seem to spit anything out.

"Sh, sh... Easy now. Easy." He urged. Worry laced his voice, was she going to go into a panic attack?

Murphy came out pretty fast and she dug in her purse for her wallet. Was that the trouble? She shoved money at him. Murphy looked at Conner, who nodded. He accepted the money and she sat down again, hugging herself, shaking, but calming down.

They'd pushed her about as far as they were going to today. At home, they separated the groceries and she locked the door behind her. They heard her tub going soon after and wondered what she'd do for dinner.

Though, they didn't have to wait long. After her bath, they heard her chopping things and soon after that, smells started wafting through the barrier between the two apartments. What they didn't expect, was a soft kick at their door.

Murphy opened it this time. Jenna blushed and presented two Tupperware containers with chicken and veggies in some sort of cheese looking sauce. "Thanks?" She went to leave, but Conner's voice stopped her.

"Why don't you join us?" He pulled the door open a little more.

She shook her head, blushing even more. Eyes wide. She didn't dare join them while eating. She didn't think she could handle that nerve racking experience.

"Holy shit..." Murphy moaned, taking a bite. Cailin could cook!

She rushed back to her apartment.


	6. Chapter 6

Her head hurt. Her nose was stuffed. She barely made it to the toilet to puke. It had been a few days since the shopping trip, and she'd worked a shift at McGinty's. But the dish sprayer nozzle had had a malfunction. Covered her head to toe in soapy water. She'd screamed bloody murder. Rocco, Conner, Murphy, Doc, anyone who'd been able to shove into the back room when she'd slipped and crashed, broken glass around her, had taken a quick look. The sprayer was going crazy, she was huddled on the floor, surrounded by broken glasses, water spraying everywhere, bleeding a bit. And then had to walk home soaked to the bone. Conner had been the first to react, picking her up, slipping a little from the glass and water, Rocco had battled with the sprayer, and Murphy and Doc grabbed a broom.

"Little trouble with the dishes, love?" He'd murmured in her ear as he set her in Doc's office.

She blushed, only to hiss when he'd started picking glass out of her cuts.

"All right then?" Doc asked, popping up. She nodded, but Conner answered.

"Superficial cuts, bruised pride. She'll be all right, I think. Yeah?" He ducked his head into her eyesight to confirm.

She nodded again, blushing. He gave her a kind smile.

"Why d-d-d-d-Fuck! Ass! Oh, just go." He waved when she nearly jumped into Conner's lap. More fed up with not being able to spit out what he wanted to say than his jumpy niece.

She groaned, flushing the toilet before making her way back to the bed. She was so cold! She coughed and groaned again.

Conner had wrapped her in his coat on top of her own, but apparently, it hadn't helped.

Someone knocked on her door, she groaned in response. She felt like she had a hangover and they'd just hit her in the head with a hammer. "Gooo 'way!" She moaned.

She heard a rap at her window, sharp and quick. She peeked out of her mound of covers to find Conner at the window. She thought it was Conner. What... How was he...

He opened the window and slipped in. This must be a dream. She decided. "If yer here ta kill meh, get it over with..." She groaned.

He chuckled. "Not here ta kill yeh, Love." He assured.

He wet a rag and folded it over her forehead. She sighed in relief. She hadn't realized she needed that. He disappeared after a moment and she heard muttering in the other room.

"What's goin' on?" Murphy asked softly.

"Lass's sick."

"Should we take her to the hospital?"

"Nah. Probably just a cold. I've got it." He assured.

"I'll bring a bit o' whiskey, yeah?"

"Yeah. I'm sure she's got the ingredients for that shit ma' used teh make. You remember?"

"Uh... Yeah, the broth?"

"Yeah, you got the phone."

"I'll call, double check the ingredients." Conner nodded. "Be right back."

He shut the door as he heard a whimper from the bedroom. Jenna'd tossed and lost the rag, he quickly replaced it and listened to the mumbling of Murph through the wall. She was always so quiet, they hadn't realized the walls were so thin. Most noisy she got was when she was in the tub, but it being right next to the shared wall and all, that was kind of a given. Then again, there was that one time they'd come home and her TV was goin'.

He sat on the edge of her bed, holding the rag in place for a moment as she shuffled a bit. Murphy ended the call and knocked on the door. Conner went to get up, only to feel a tug on his shirt. He looked down to find her fingers had entwined in the fabric of his shirt.

No amount of prying was getting them untangled. Luckily, he hadn't locked the door when Murphy left the first time. "Well?" He whispered.

"I'm stuck." Conner gestured to her.

"Ha, vagina dentate. Eh?"

"Oh shut up, what'd ma' say?"

Murphy chuckled, holding up the list. "I'll check her cupboards. Since yer stuck."

Conner looked down at the young woman holding him captive. She looked so small. And vulnerable. He'd had a near heart attack last night, seeing her on the floor, bleeding like that. Coming back home from church this morning had left him wondering. But then hearing her throw up like that... That was a bit gross. Now though, just looking at her. His heart swelled with concern. And when she hadn't answered the door…

Murphy came back into the room as his brother ran his fingers through her hair. "What're yeh doin' yeh lech!"

Conner jumped. "Shit Murph, what're yeh doin' creepin' like that?" He hissed back with a glare.

"She's got ever'thin' but the ginger. I'll go and get it if yeh promise not the take advantage." He teased with a small smile.

"Course I ain't gonna take advantage, whatcha take me for?!"

Jenna groaned. "Shuuuut uuuup..." She turned over, burrowing deeper into the covers, coughing a bit. Unfortunately, she tugged Conner with her and he slipped a bit. She was burning up, but she was shivering as though she was freezing. Teeth chattering hard. She snuggled into his side.

He froze, eyes wide. He really didn't know what to do anymore. Murphy sniggered at his brother's predicament and turned to leave. "Don't leave! Help me up!" He hissed.

Murphy acted like he couldn't understand him, couldn't hear him. Mouthing.

"I'm gonna kill you when I get out o' here!" He mouthed back.

Murphy just laughed and waved goodbye. She nuzzled him with a groan and he struggled to stay still. Her nose brushed his ribs. She was like a vice, he couldn't have gotten away if he wanted to. "Mmmm..." When she settled, he noticed how she fit against him, her head on his chest, an arm across his stomach, her legs tangled with one of his. He found the rag and put it back on her forehead.

Murph came back within a few minutes. She'd practically entwined herself into his brother's shirt and he'd made a reach for one of her many books. The lad wasn't going anywhere. Her room was covered in piles of them. The living room had nothing but movies. Every kind. There was even a corner dedicated to CDs. Who knew the girl was a media buff? Murphy lifted the bag and set to work in the little corner designated as her kitchen. She started muttering and heard Conner soothe her back into an easy slumber. Murphy rolled up his sleeves. Her knives were pretty good. He set to chopping up the vegetables. He'd brought over their hotplate as well and started making the little cure all. He finished the hot tottie first.

He handed the hot cup to Conner, who nudged the girl. "Jenna, Aingeal, got ya somethin' to drink. You'll feel better, Love." He urged.

She opened her eyes blearily and groaned. "I don't want to..." She started to roll, but Conner's arm stopped her.

"No, now, come on, Love. Drink this." He touched it to her lips. "It'll warm yeh up, Love."

That did it. She took a cautious sip and gagged with a shudder. "OH... That's awful!" She hid her face into his chest, more awake now than she'd been since they got here.

"Now drink it all. Come on. It'll help. I promise."

"Mmm mmm." She shook her head.

"Come on now, trust me."

"I's yucky." She protested, hand over her mouth.

"It'll taste worse cold." He insisted.

"Don't wanna." Murphy chuckled as he listened to the exchange, stirring the soup. He'd never seen his brother have such patience with anyone but him. Then again, he'd been a bit love struck since she threw that pot against her ex's skull. She was also pretty vicious with that bat.

"Come on now. I'll let yeh go back the sleep... That's a girl." He cooed.

She coughed and groaned. "Eeeeeew." She slept pretty easily after that. They didn't dare wake her until the soup was done. Though when she did wake, she made a mad dash to the toilet to puke up the drink. She was a bit more lucid though.

"Thanks." She mumbled, taking an experimental sniff.

"It's not what we gave yeh earlier. Just broth. Help settle yer stomach." Murphy assured.

He was right, it was pretty bland, kinda burned. Smelled like ginger and lemon. She didn't even finish her soup before she was conked out on Conner's shoulder again. Her body switched to hot, suddenly pushing away from Conner, he ran for a bathroom. She started mumbling, still a bit delirious, as he came back. Her breathing was a little easier. They woke her for another round of soup and hot tottie. She didn't puke it up this time. But getting it in her was a chore.

"I'm not doin' it."

"Jenna." Conner said sternly.

"No!" She buried herself under the covers.

"You're gonna make yourself sicker. Get back here."

"It's yuck!" She cried when he dragged her out.

"It's good for you."

"Nothing that nasty is good."

"How are you feeling?" He fished.

"..." She thought for a minute.

He took the opportunity to put the cup in her hands. "You drink that down." She shuddered, remembering the unpleasant experience with the last dose.

"Ew."

"Come on now, Murph worked hard on it. Wouldn't want teh hurt his feelin's would yeh?" She scowled.

"That's dirty."

"Is it workin'?" She chugged it down and gagged until presented with a glass of water. She chugged that too. She shuddered. And then she was out again. "She's burning up, Murph."

"Here, I bought a thermometer too." He handed it to his brother and Conner stuck it in her mouth. A few moments the beep sounded.

"Shit. Fill the tub." At Murphy's call, he gathered the small woman into his arms and carried her the few feet to the tub. Murphy moved out of the way, going to clean up the kitchen.

He dunked her a couple times, but she didn't wake as he held her up. Her eyelids fluttered a bit before she gasped, flailing. "Hey, hey, you look at me. Look at me." Conner was in her face, hands touching her. "You've been really sick. You're fine now. Your fever broke."

She clutched him. She was so cold. He wrapped his arms around her, hooking under her legs and around her back. "W-w-w-w-" She tried, but he shook his head.

"Just hold onto me." He picked her up and helped her stand. She shivered for a second, arms wrapped around herself, and he helped her change clothes, she nearly fell, head swimming a bit. But he caught her, helping her into the bed. She all but fell into it. She was so confused. But her head was fuzzy. She didn't even find the strength to feel embarrassed about him seeing her naked and he didn't comment. She did have the presence of mind to tell him thanks. Everything was so dark. "There you are." He said softly, tucking her into the bed, which was already warm. "I'll be right next door, if you need anything else. All right?" He went to get up, but a tug at his sleeve stopped him.

"Don't... Please..." She stuttered a bit, eyes glittering in the moonlight.

"Don't what, M' chailin?" He brushed some hair from her cheek.

"L...Leave." Her voice was so small, fear leeching into the room.

"I won't leave." He assured, sitting on the bed beside her.

She timidly clutched his arm. She was like a full body icicle. He shifted, pulling his arm out of her grip and she started to shift as well, but he just pulled her closer. She hesitated, but soon he felt her arms snake around him. Her heart was fluttering like a hummingbird's wings, but her exhaustion soon won out as her mind and her body realized he wasn't going to do anything else. He followed soon after, unable to stay awake now that the trouble had passed.

 **M' Chailin = My girl in gaelic.**

 **Aingeal= Angel in gaelic**


	7. Chapter 7

**Hello! Just a short little tidbit to expand on Conner and Jenna's budding relationship. Sorry it's taken so long to update. I have horrible depression and this story and the others I'm sharing on this site have been very healing for me. I hope you enjoy this, and for waiting so patiently, I'm uploading another chapter!**

She woke up feeling warm and disoriented. She took a deep breath and started to shift, pillow was really hard. Had she fallen asleep on a book again? She groaned... But then her groan was echoed back at her.

Not hers. No, this one was deeper and more... Masculine. She jerked up.

"What time is it?" Conner groaned, rubbing his eyes.

He'd been on top of the covers, but he... He was in her apartment. In her bed.

"How... What... When...?" She panicked.

"Whoa now, easy." Conner was instantly alert. He got off the bed as her eyes, those wide, frantic eyes, flitted between him and the door. "Easy. You were sick, remember?" He moved and talked slowly, trying to keep her as calm as possible.

She thought for a moment, but nodded, hesitantly.

"Murph and me, we took care of yeh. I stayed over cause you asked me not to leave, remember?"

She shook her head this time.

"You- you don't?"

She clutched at the blankets. Eye's fearful as she let her mind work. He stayed silent, praying on how to fix this without her screaming at him. "It... It was dark?" Her voice was soft as her eyes flitted to an outlet, he hadn't noticed a nightlight: fallen, kicked by the dresser.

Murphy had been sitting close to there. The moron. He nodded. "Yeah."

She slowly pointed to the door and he backed out just as slowly. Murphy was just coming out of the apartment when Conner let out a sigh on the other side of the door, feeling like he'd very much dodged a bullet. "Everythin' all right, Con?"

"Fuck!" He jumped, hissing. But seeing Murphy, he sighed. "Yeah, yeah. I'm fine."

"How is she?"

"Better. She's better." He then whacked him upside the head.

"Ow, Fuck wassat fer?!"

"Yeh unplugged a nightlight and didn't put it back is whatcha did."

"Was diggin' into my back! You gonna get ready fer work or what?"

"Yeah. Gimme a minute."

"You sure? You get any sleep?"

"Yeah...Yeah I did." He couldn't hide the smile pulling at his lips as he entered his apartment. Not noticing Murphy's own smile as his eyes followed after his brother.

When they came home, the smells were overpowering the entire floor. Someone was cooking something amazing. They followed their noses and it lead them to Jenna's door.

Please let there be extra!

She knocked on their door, presenting them with their own little portions and when they expected her to run off, she just stood there. She was blushing rather hard, and not looking at them, but she stayed where she was. "Something we can help yeh with, Love?" Conner asked, a bit hesitantly.

She shook her head no. "I..." she cleared her throat. "I just... Thanks. For... For everything."

"You just keep makin' food like this, Darlin. We'll do anything you ask." Murphy laughed.

Jenna blushed again before she finally retreated. She wasn't sure how she felt about what she remembered, but she knew she trusted them- not just through her uncle anymore. They'd been nothing but patient and kind. She could be a right brat when she was sick. But they'd done nothing unkind. Save for breaking into her apartment. And unplugging her night light.

Jenna was due for the early shift at McGinty's so she started getting ready. She put her hair up in a bun. She really did need to cut it. She brushed a little make-up on her face, just enough to help her not look like she was recovering from being sick, and shoved on a clean shirt and jeans.

When she opened her door, purse in hand, she was a bit surprised to see someone there. "Oh... Hello." She looked up at Conner who looked like he'd been about to knock.

"You... You working tonight?" He stuttered, looking her over.

She nodded. Her heart thudded in her chest. Stop that. You stop that right now. She told it. "Did... Did you... need any- anything?" She asked out loud, a bit hesitant. Awkward.

"Did you want some company?"

She smiled softly. "Sure. Yeah." She stepped out and locked her door. A quick glance told her that it was just him. "No Murphy?"

"Nah, he's pretty tired." He waved her off.

"He's not getting sick is he? Did I get him sick?"

"What? No! He's- he's fine. Just work was tiring today. That's all."

"Oh... Ok. You- you're not sick or anything are- are you? You shouldn't walk with me if you're getting sick. It- it'll just make it worse, you know. I can- I can bring you some soup or-or something when I come home-" Her nervous rant was cut off.

"I'm not sick either!" He laughed, cutting off her rapid rambling. With a raise of his hands in surrender.

She paused as they entered the elevator. "I'm sorry." She blushed.

"Concern is nothin' to be sorry about, Love." He smiled, rather pleased at her reaction. She was nice when she blushed, brought out her eyes, making the green a little brighter.

"Where... Where do you two work, anyways?"

"Meat packing plant, down the way." He pointed over his shoulder as he pulled the doors down and pushed the button.

Her fingers fiddled with her purse. She didn't know, but something felt different. Which was ridiculous, he'd walked her to work and back plenty of times before. But then.. Murphy was always with him. "Are you sure Murphy's ok?"

"Why, you sweet on him?" His heart thudded in his chest for a second.

"No." She rolled her eyes, chuckling a bit. "I just... I've just never seen the two of you apart. You know?"

"He's just wore out." He assured. Conner lifted the doors when the lift stopped and opened the other door to the outside world.

"So, do you... Are you gonna stay or are you dropping me off?"

"Bit of both, I guess." He scratched his eyebrow, holding a cigarette she hadn't noticed him light. "I'll stay a bit, come back to pick yeh up after shift."

"You don't have to. I'm.. I'm sure you've better things to do? You must be tired too, if it was such a long day?"

"Nah." He chuckled. But it was distracted. Her anxiety was pretty high today. "I'm fine and nothin's better than makin' sure you get home safe. Ma'd tan my hide knowing I let a lady walk home alone. In the dark." He teased.

She looked at him, wide eyed. "What difference does that make?" Being afraid of the dark was a perfectly reasonable fear! You can't see where you're going. You can't tell the dangers lurking. It always feels like someone's watching you even if you're alone.

He shrugged, a small smile tugging on his face. "I'm only teasin', Love."

She gave him a suspicious look, but let his teasing pass. "You only want to be my knight in shining armor some more."

"Oh ho! She has a sense of humor!" He laughed.

She snickered as well. "Have to, to live next to you two chuckle heads." She tucked a stray bit of hair behind her ear.

"Do we bother the ghost next door?"

"Ghost?" She looked at him curiously out of the corner of her eye.

"You're so quiet, we wouldn't know you were home if you didn't cook so much. Or go to the bathroom every once in a while."

She blushed at the implication. "Well.. I..."

"Easy, I was only teasing." He reminded.

Her blush remained.

"So, what did you do before you joined the family at Doc's?"

She shrugged. "Shitty housewife." She seemed to quote.

He gave her a confused look. That guy was her husband? "You were married?"

She shook her head. "Came to my sense before then. But... Almost." She admitted. "Momma... She'd kicked me out of the house. Didn't have anywhere to go, moved in with Michael." She shrugged, her voice soft and getting softer with every sentence. The next one, however, piped up with interest. "What about you?"

He shook his head. "Nah. Never found the right girl."

"Why'd you leave the old neighborhood?"

"Opportunity? Adventure?" He laughed.

"You really are straight out of a fairytale." She teased. "Tell me you've got a dark tragic past."

"Nah. Got a mum back home. She raised us, made sure we had education. We had each other. No tragic past. Just a missin' da."

She nodded. "My Dad died." She empathized. "You know, it took me a minute, but you and Murphy are twins, aren't you?"

"Couldn't tell? Well, that's too bad. Murphy's sure he's the better lookin' of us. I'll have to set him straight if you can tell us apart."

She laughed. An honest laugh. Almost took him by surprise, but he'd been wanting to hear it for a while. She didn't try to make it pretty or light. It was more like a cackle than anything. She covered her mouth, trying to muffle it, but it was futile. Her whole body bouncing as she did so. It was a contagious laugh, spread easily from her to him.


	8. Chapter 8

She didn't notice when he left, but he was there when she was off. Waiting for her outside, smoke curled from his fingertips and spilled from his mouth. "Freedom!" She sighed, shouldering her purse before spinning in the night air. She stumbled, but he caught her, both of them smiling.

But then, she was looking up at him, his arms around her. He was looking down at her. Not down his nose, but his head was tiled, like she was sunshine. She cleared her throat and pulled away.

"Apologies. I... I'm a little slap happy." She excused.

He couldn't wipe the smile from his face, she was learning to let go around him, if only a little. She was becoming happy to see him. If only a little. Her smile slowly sneaked its way back to her face as they walked. She scuffed her shoes a bit, too tired to pick up her feet after a while and not paying attention.

He hadn't been watching her straight on, but the second she stumbled, his arm shot out, catching her, swinging her back to him. He kept his arm around her as she walked. She was stiff, but when he did nothing else, slowly, inch by inch, muscle by muscle, she relaxed.

However, just as she was getting settled, they were at her door. "Oh." She mumbled after a moment of them standing there.

He removed his arm and took her keys before she dropped them. She was so tired. He let her wander through her door, but waited until he heard her lock it before he went to his own.

He held his hand up to Murph, who'd been reading a book, before he could say anything. Only to chuckle a bit when he heard the water running to cover the sound of her going to the bathroom.

"How'd it go?" Murph finally asked.

Conner just lay on his bed, unable to wipe the smile from his face. "You think it's too soon to ask for marriage?"

"So fuckin' cheesy."

They woke to the sound of her speaking to someone, from the lack of responses, she was on the phone. They couldn't quite understand her, but it didn't seem to be a happy conversation. She hung up quickly.

Exchanging looks, they started getting ready for work. They could almost feel the agitation coming from her door. However, there was nothing they could do until they finished work. They did give Doc a call.

Jenna's phone rang off and on throughout the day, but she ignored it. She played her music, cleaning, instead. She built a few shelves, sticking them into the wall in various places. When her door was knocked on, however, she couldn't ignore it.

Her hair was thrown up into a messy bun, she was wearing an old shirt, baggy, paint stains on it, and jean shorts that were nearly swallowed up by the shirt. Conner'd not expected that. He saw a bottle of whiskey on her coffee table, about half empty. But she didn't seem flushed.

"Hello." She said.

"You seem upset." Conner stated. "Somethin' happen, Love?"

She sighed. "I'm... I..." She seemed like she was gonna try to lie to him, but couldn't quite seem to spill it out. "Won't you come in?" She finally asked, stepping aside.

A bit surprised, his eyebrows rose up, but he stepped inside. She closed the door, but kept her distance. She leaned against the far wall, a window overlooking the roof of the next building.

"What's wrong?" He prompted.

"I...got a call." She didn't look at him, fiddling with her fingernails.

"That bastard buggin' yeah again?" "No, It... It wasn't him." She ran a hand through her hair and sniffed her nose. "It was my momma." She finally admitted. He remembered their conversation last night and went to open his mouth, but he honestly didn't know what to say. But he didn't have to say anything. She continued her admission, "She kicked me out a few years ago. I told you she kicked me out?" She started.

"Yeah..."

"Her ears must have been burning because she called this morning. She thought it'd be a good idea to try to talk to me about my relationship with him. She was the one who gave him my number, told him where I might be. He was the reason she kicked me out in the first place!" She'd had all day to stew about this.

Her anger was right harsh. Her fingers bunched the material on her arms. "Jenna, I can't possibly imagine what you're going through." He tried. Reaching out, but she flinched. He waited as she wrestled with herself.

"Are you... Are you gonna hurt me, Conner?" She finally asked, looking up at him.

"Jenna, I... I would never intentionally hurt you." He promised.

She searched his face, looking for any sign of a lie. Seemingly satisfied, she let herself fall into him, her arms wrapping around his waist. He let his arms encompass her, crossing over her back and shoulders. Not for the first time, did he marvel at how small she was. She hugged him with everything she had, her head tucked just under his chin, if he slouched a little.


	9. Chapter 9

She danced around the bar, twirling under Rosie who carried a tray of drinks, and ducked onto the business side of the bar. She teased Rocco and managed to snub Brady without too hard of feelings. Not catching Conner and Murphy telling him tough luck by way of a small jostle and whispered warning. She laughed when Doc's turrets got the better of him. When she went to go wash glasses, Doc went to the MacManus brothers.

"I haven't s-s-s-seen her like this in years. I don't know what you two did, b-b-b-but thank ye boys." He leaned over, conspiratorially. "Neither one o' you two are..."

"No!"

"Conner wishes." Murphy laughed.

"Fuck! Ass!" She came out at that moment.

"You two troublemakers irritating my uncle?" She raised an eyebrow. They shook their heads. Eyes wide and cat- ate-the-canary grins on their faces.

"Don't let 'em lie to ya, Jen." Rocco called.

"Oh you're one to talk!" She called back. "When you gonna pay your bill- wait better not, I wouldn't want him to have a heart attack!" She teased back.

"Ohhh!" Chorused around the bar. "Want some ice, Roc?" One of the boys asked.

"That was pretty good." He finally admitted with a chuckle.

She grabbed a bottle and gave it to him with a wink, properly distracted, she didn't notice Doc's stern talking-to to Conner.

The end of her shift had her leaning heavily on Conner. He had an arm wrapped around her to keep her close. "Why are you so hot?" She asked suddenly.

"Well, no room for subtlety for you tonight, aye lass?" He raised an eyebrow at her brazen comment to find her blushing.

"No!" She giggled. "I meant temperature wise."

"Oh!" He chuckled. "Dunno, always been like that."

She looked up at him. Her heart on her sleeve. "You are pretty hot though." She admitted.

"Course, Love. Only the best for you." He kissed her forehead.

Jenna danced in her living room, waiting for Conner and Murphy to get off work. Working up a sweat as she twisted and turned, she didn't hear the door at first. But a louder, heavier knock got her attention. She grabbed a towel and swiped her brow as she went to the door. Too short to see through the peep hole, she didn't even try. "Who is it?" She asked, reaching for the doorknob.

But something had her pause. She waited for an answer. They just knocked again and tried the door.

She grabbed her phone, dialing Rocco's number. "Hey Jen."

The heavy knocker just about broke her door down pounding on it. "I need you." She said quickly as she moved away from the door, picking up a bat.

He cursed and hung up. A heavy booted kick to her door had her jumping and running to the bedroom. A hand fisted in her hair, but she slammed the bat into her assailant's stomach when he pulled her back. She kicked the door shut and locked it before running over to the window. She climbed up and onto the roof of the building next door. "Jenna! You whore!"

She ran for the fire escape. She met Rocco at the corner and dove into the passenger seat. "You okay?"

"He... He just came in... He just-"

"Jen are you hurt?!"

"No- no. I..." She swallowed thickly, her heart racing. "I ran. He just... He just came in..."

"Shit." He pulled up to McGinty's and reached in the back and gave her a half empty bottle of jack. "Take a swig."

She took a gulp and coughed, handing it back. "Thanks."

"No problem." He eyed Doc, who'd come to the door to see why Rocco had come so early. "You go on in. I'm gonna go back to your place, see what I can find. You wait here till the boys get off work."

She nodded. "Thanks Roc. I owe you one."

"I'll remember that come ladies' night."

She got out, only to dip back down. "How'd you get there so fast?"

"I had a slow day." He had a hangover.

She nodded, closing the door and walking over to Doc, who wrapped an arm around her. "Everything okay?" He asked/

It was like the Hoover Dam broke loose. She clutched at him and blubbered as they walked into the bar. A little confused and unable to understand what she was saying, he let her get it all out until her sobs turned to sniffles and hiccups... Which took a lot longer than necessary. But once calm, he gave her a shot to calm her nerves and listened to what happened.

"I called the boys."

"What?!" She jerked her head up from the bar.

"They'd wanna know." She nodded. He was right. More than that, Conner'd have her hide if he hadn't found out what happened. Got home to a broken door. She was not looking forward to the next few hours.

As it was, Doc kept her busy getting ready for the rush until the door was wrenched open. "Jenna!" Conner cried. He enveloped her for a moment before pulling back to look at her. "What happened? Are yeh all right? Did he touch you?"

She shook her head. "I ran. I called Roc and I ran." Her calm demeanor ruined as he clutched at her.

She clutched him back as he looked at Roc and Murph, who'd come in behind him. They'd gotten off an hour early and Roc had met them outside. He hadn't stopped. She didn't have so much as a scratch, but his heart was still racing.

"Watch your step." Rocco warned. Her door was wide open. Michael had raged when she'd run away. Her books were trashed, her movies were broken and the tape pulled out. He'd broken her hotplate and her bedroom door. She stared at the mess like she couldn't quite see it. Like she couldn't comprehend that it was her apartment. She went to the bedroom. Her favorite pillow had been torn to shreds. He'd known how to hurt her.

She grabbed a broom and started sweeping. "Jenna." She stopped.

"Thank you for your concern. But I need to clean up his little tantrum." She said softly. Her walls were up now. After a few months of knocking them down one by one, they were all back in place.

"Is there anything we can do?" Murphy offered.

"Some dinner would be nice." Her voice was clipped, short. They didn't push her anymore, but Conner stayed with her while Rocco and Murphy went to go grab some food. She swept up her favorite things into a pile. Conner waited in silence for her to talk.

It didn't take long for her to sniffle. "Why won't he leave me alone?" She asked, her voice so broken. "Hasn't he done enough?" Conner took a few steps towards her and when she didn't push him away, he wrapped his arms around her.

"That poor excuse doesn't deserve your tears." Conner said softly, wiping her eyes with his thumb. "He's just starting to realize what a great girl yeh are, is all. Realizing what he lost."

"What?" She pulled away from him a bit.

"I'm not defending that bastard, don't get me wrong. But if I lost yeh, I'd go a little mad too."

"He's..." She shook her head, unable to continue.

"That's right, he. This has nothing to do with you. This is him and his evil. He sees yeh happy and living your life and he can't stand it. This ain't you, Love. Nothing to do with you at all. Do yeh understand, Love?"

She wrapped her arms around him. "It's not me." She sobbed.

"That's right, Love." He buried his face into her hair, hugging her tightly to him.


	10. Chapter 95

Hey, Script here!

Just wanted to ask you lovely readers a question.. well... two- eh, three. Make it three questions.

I have noticed that a lot of people are reading and the handful of you that have followed and favorite this story are amazing and I love you and I would love to know any comments you might have! Including your opinion on two new stories.

I'm well aware that my... interests far exceed some peoples and yet may also be underwhelming in other's aspects of movie buffdom. But! I digress.

My first question: If you would, please comment? Just hey, I like this or what have you. I love getting feedback- especially grammatical errors I may have missed. Fresh sets of eyes are always welcome.

Second: This is a two part question. I have posted on my profile a thought. And I realized... no one looks at profiles other than to get to the stories page so, here it is. I have two stories, one is still a work in progress and the other completed. A) Would you read a Once Upon a Time RumpelstiltskinxOC- finished all the way up to the Camelot Arc? And B) A Lord of The Rings AragornXOC? I know, there's tons of them but... I wrote one more.

My third and final question: If you would like to read them, would you let me know? If there's enough of a stir, I'll gladly give details I.E. a summery, character description, and/or a first chapter.

Thanks for reading! As an incentive, I'll give another double update may 1!


	11. Chapter 10

**Script here! So, as an apology for the not-chapter, I give you this! But please give feedback. I really would love to hear from those reading this. Especially since I think it gets ridiculous in some parts- the book, not this chapter. I love this chapter. It is my favorite chapter. But, please keep in mind, I do need a response- preferably more than one- for the not-chapter. Please and thank you. Also, a warning, at the end of this chapter will be a little excerpt from my Aragorn Fanfiction. Enjoy! Feedback would be appreciated.**

 **Thanks!**

 **Script**

She wasn't able to sleep in her apartment, not with the door ruined and her things trashed. That was the excuse they all used. Not that her space had been violated. Not that it was tainted by his intrusion. She slept in Conner's bed, fitfully at first, but he just wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close so she couldn't move and hit him in her sleep. Occasionally, he'd had to mutter to her, humming in her ears to let her know who he was.

When she woke up, it was because she just couldn't sleep anymore. Conner was a natural snuggler anyways, so he wasn't letting her go until he was good and ready. She heard a chuckle from her side to find Murphy watching her antics at trying to wriggle free. "Think it's funny do ya?" She glared warily.

"Yup." He sat up, lit a cigarette and winked at her. "Watch this." He took his pillow and beaned Conner right in the face.

"Ah! What?! What is it?!" He panicked, making Jenna roll into a ball to not only prevent being hit with the pillow, but to guard herself from his flailing. "Murph yeh dick!" He groaned. "Too early for this." He fell back to the bed.

"Well, excuse me. Next time I'll just let yeh suffocate her, won't I!"

She hopped up and went next door to relieve herself. Unlike her floor plan, theirs was entirely open. Entirely. They barely had a curtain for their shower. She thought her little bathroom was exposed.

She waited to go back until she was sure they weren't in the shower or on the toilet. She knocked first too. Conner opened the door and walked off. She followed him, her eyes down when she realized they were both shirtless still and she blushed when she realized she followed Conner's back. The man was... She ripped her eyes away and went to the window instead. "When... Um.. When do you go to work?"She stuttered, a heavy blush on her cheeks.

"I called out." Conner said, rubbing a hand across his face.

"No. You didn't need to do that."

"Hell I didn't!" He scoffed.

"You can't just call out every time I have a problem!" She nearly laughed at how ridiculous that sounded.

"Not every problem, no. But this a pretty fuckin' big one."

"If you call out too many times, you could get fired!" He rounded on her, eyes blazing.

"Are you saying this is gonna happen a lot? Are you expecting this kind of situation to come a lot in this relationship?"

"N-no. Don't put words in my mouth. Don't- don't confuse me like - what? What?! What?!" She was pressed against the window, feeling very confused. So many thoughts were going through her head at once.

"I think you broke her, Con."

"Stay out of it, Murph." Murphy raised his hands in surrender.

They kept their eyes on each other. It was just Jenna and Conner.

"Whatever, I gotta work anyways." He grabbed his prayer beads from the hook by the door before he left.

They stared each other down, one wide eyed and panicky, the other focused and waiting.

"Well?"

"Well what?" She crossed her arms over her chest to grip just below her shoulders, nails digging in slightly.

"You gonna answer the question?"

"You asked two."

"Answer 'em both then!" He flung his hands up, turning to give them both some space. He lit a cigarette once he was seated on his bed.

"That's not fair." She accused, watching him take a long drag. "I don't know what's gonna happen, especially until this Michael thing gets handled. And... And I wasn't... When did... What is this?" She finally spat out.

"What do yeh want this to be?" He gestured between the two of them. "You're leading this dance."

She nearly laughed, but the seriousness in his tone prevented her. His gaze boring into hers, waiting for an answer she wasn't sure she was ready for. "I... I really like you." She said weakly.

"And?" He fished.

"We barely know each other."

"Ask me shit! I'll tell yeah." He waved for to go on.

"You... don't... You don't know what you're asking."

"I ain't askin' shit. Yer too defensive." He smiled. "Sides, you'll tell me eventually anyways."

"It's nice to be asked!" She shouted. Jenna nearly stomped her foot like a child, hands fisted at her side, but for the fact that she wasn't a child and this was a serious situation. Every tendon was taunt, every muscle poised to run, to cower, to flee from him at the first sign of any movement that said he might stand.

And Conner was aware of all of this. So, he stayed on the bed. His bed. That they'd shared just last night.

"Are you gonna be like this all the time?"

"Kinda shit question is that?"

"See?!"

"Ooooh!" She nearly growled. "Are you always this frustrating?"

"Definitely."

"What do you want from me?"

"Whatever you'll give me. You wanna be friends? Fine." He said with the cigarette hanging from his mouth, only to take it out and spread his arms wide. "You wanna be more? Perfect."

She didn't know what to say. She'd never been in this situation before. She clutched at her arms. "Wait- that's not... This isn't the- Completely off track!" She put her fingers to her temples instead, warding off a headache. Table the conversation she really wasn't ready for just yet. "This isn't about how I feel about you. This about you taking off work for me."

"All right, ya got me. Why do you have such a problem with it? Would you rather be alone? Face him by yourself again, aye?" He rubbed at his face and took a long drag, waiting.

She looked away from him, thinking. He had her there. "He...No." she admitted, scuffing a shoe. If he hadn't been paying attention, he would have missed it. "I... wouldn't."

"What's the problem?" For a moment he didn't think she'd answer, but she did, still not looking at him straight on.

"I'm... I'm waiting."

"For?"

"You to change." She admitted.

"I'm not changing. This is me, Jen. I ain't pretending to be something I'm not." He stamped the cigarette out in an overfull ashtray. "Shit Jen, we ain't all like that asshole."

"I know that! I just... My heart says one thing and my head says another and I'm so confused!" She finally cried, putting her face in her hands. She mumbled something.

"What was that, Love?"

"Put on a shirt."

"Nah, I-" He stopped at her glaring over her fingers at him. "All right. Fine." He shoved a shirt over his head. "Better?"

"Incorrigible." She scoffed, but put her hands down to cross over her chest to finally look at him, still blushing madly.

"Now, out of pure curiosity and nothing else, what is the heart vs. Head conundrum rattling around that pretty head of yers?"

She blushed even more and shook her head. "It's stupid. You wouldn't understand."

"Not if you don't tell me. But I promise not to laugh." He rose his hand up, like he was swearing on a stack of bibles.

"..." She thought for a moment. "It's..." She sighed, sitting on Murphy's bed. The closest she'd been through the whole fight. "I really like you. In fact, I might even be falling for you. But... But I'm afraid. What if you wake up one day and... and feel like I'm not worth it? Or... Or we fight and... And I say something stupid or... Or what if someone better comes along and you decide... Or what if you turn out to-" She was silenced by the pressure of his lips on hers.

He seized her head in his hands and claimed her lips for himself. She froze for a second and he let her head go, giving her the option to pull away. His lips didn't force hers open or ask more than what she was willing to give. The pressure stayed the same, he wasn't forcing her back or forward. He wasn't pushing. He braced himself, putting a hand on either side of her, but nothing touched her besides his lips. She could push him away or pull away anytime she wanted.

He pulled away, resisting a smile when her head followed him, though other than that she hadn't moved during the entire encounter. He stopped moving and he felt her hesitantly begin to kiss him back. Shyly, timidly, like petals of a flower. He felt her hands snake up and rest on his shoulders. He kissed her back, letting her lead. She started shaking after a moment and he shifted so their lips didn't touch, but their foreheads did.

"If you keep trying to think of every what if situation, you'll never actually get to live." He said.

She opened her eyes, not really conscious of when she closed them. Her green to his brown. "Ok." She said. "But... But slow, ok?"

"I'll follow your lead, lass." He promised.

She smiled, her eyes sinking to his lips again. But she didn't allow herself the pleasure of another kiss. She pulled away and he let her.

"Ya hungry?" Her stomach growled in response.

~~~~~~ THIS IS THE ARAGORN EXCERPT~~~~~

Nessa looked up at him, though his smile withdrawn and his tone was polite, the gleam in his eye told her he was actually interested. "They were fraught with danger!" She grinned, hopping a bit energetically. He chuckled at her enthusiasm. "I was nearly seen numerous times, but man rarely looks up. Elrond, there were men with bows and swords! I saw two trolls! I steered well clear of them!" She assured, only to stop him in his tracks as she let him go to rise to his eye line, wings fluttering behind her. "But there were shadows in the dark that thought to give chase. I lost them over Forest Fangorn, but were I a less schooled individual..." She trailed off, looking as grave as he had ever seen her. Gone was the childish enthusiasm and the smiles. Gone were the bright eyes. In their stead was a seriousness, a maturity that did not befit his old friend. "What goes on in Middle Earth that gives concern for shadows and secret meetings and worrisome wizards and creased brows?" She pointed at his own furrowed forehead.

"Lady Nessa." He scolded, rising eyebrows at her boldness.

She merely lifted herself so her body floated horizontal to the ground, waiting for him to just tell her what she wished to know. Her wings thrumming above them.

"Lady Nessa, you are here for purpose. But if you wish to know the fullness of such purpose, you must be patient. Not even I know the full scope of the task before us. Gandalf is as secretive as ever."

"We both know that is not a virtue I possess." She scowled with a dismissive wave of her hand.

"But it is one you shall learn." He chuckled.

She let herself sink to the ground as her friend smirked. "You always do know how to speak sense." She admitted, crossing her arms. "I shall learn more than one thing during my stay."

"Of course, you remember where the library is, my friend?"

The woman grinned. "Two lefts and up some stairs?"

"To the right." He finished, pointing the way. "I shall have your rooms prepared in the mean time."

"Many thanks." She flitted off at his bow, never seeing the shake of his head or hearing his chuckle.

The woman had not changed in all the years he'd known her. Granted, in the grand scheme of things, it had not been very long. But he had thought that a few adventures with Gandalf might have prompted some maturity.

It seemed it had only made her more abrupt. And only a little wiser.

Nessa spent so much more time in the library than she thought she might. Whenever the council was, it was not in her immediate future, it seemed. Though, she didn't mind. There was a peacefulness that the Elves exuded, a timelessness that sat well with her. She never could seem to get the hang of humans. Though, they were interesting to observe. So many had different customs, different cultures. Though, that could be said of any species across the continent.

She often wondered if the same could be said of her own. They once spanned across the continent same as elves and humans and dwarves. Now though… Now, she was so alone.

"My Lady?"

Knocked from somber thoughts, she looked up from her borrowed books. "Yes?" She asked of the blonde elf in a light blue dress.

"Your rooms are available should you like to bathe before dinner." She offered. Though, it was more a polite request. Elves were cleaner than most other races.

"Oh, thank you." She grinned. Most other races.

Jen was quick to flit to her rooms- though the elves never told her which were hers. Not that they had to. They had a standing guest room with her name nearly etched on the door frame.

The steam was curling from the bath water in the corner, though she went to the balcony instead. The water from the river poured down the cliff face, sending a cool wind to blow though the room. With a dance, she quickly stripped her dirty travel clothes and slid into the tub.

Careful of the wings.

Her humming could be heard throughout the last homely house if one cared to listen. Unlike the mellow tones of elves or the dulcet rumblings of the dwarves, hers was one carried by the wind, sweet and subtle. Easily missed if one did not beware to listen. And beware one should.

Lesser beings could be affected so easily.

Jen's days grew with the elves; she could have spent a year or a month before more visitors showed. It didn't much matter to those of which time meant so little. But one day she was flying through the upper atmosphere to see a familiar horse flying though the plains.

"Arwen?" She mused, only for alarm to build at her long time friend's adversaries giving chase. "The shadows!" She hissed.

A warmth grew in her palm as she raced to Arwen's side. One such shade was reaching for the elf- only to be blown back with a blast of magic. Screeches echoed through the air as they regrouped. "Away with you!" Nessa roared, sending another flare of magic at the monsters. "Into the shadows from whence you came!" She dodged a sword, gaining their attention for Arwen to cross the stream that protected the Elven lands.

"Nessa!" Arwen gasped. Another blast had them scattering once more. She joined her friend across the river. "Alert my father! We need his help!"

Nessa nodded, flitting back to the village with a glance at her charge. A hobbit in dire straights. A darkness building within him. "Elrond! Lord Elrond!" She cried, landing before him- and Gandalf. "Arwen- at the river!-" She panted, pointing the way. "Wraiths!"


	12. Chapter 12

**Really short chapter. The next one should be longer. I know I'm five days late for the double update, but, I'm working on it!**

Conner watched his girl as she danced around the bar. Dodging anyone who might touch her. She was hyper aware of where he was. He knew because he'd catch her looking at him out of the corner of his eye, making sure he was still there, a blush on her cheeks every time she caught him staring.

"You're gonna mess her hair up, you keep staring holes at her." Murphy teased, taking a sip of his beer.

"Oh, shut it, Murph." He turned to his brother, who was mildly watching him. A smile in his eyes as he took a drag from a cigarette.

"Yeh know I'm happy fer yeh."

"Course Murph."

"If I ever catch you on my bed-"

"Oh Murph. Who say's you'll catch us?" He smirked before he said,"We won't do that. We'll go over to her place. Don't you worry." He laughed. Though, he didn't say they were a long way off from that. Long ways.

Her dancing took her past the boys and she slid another beer in front of them without breaking stride. "How the fuck she do that?" Rocco said from behind them.

"Talent." Conner laughed when she placed another one for Rocco. He winked at her and she blushed once again. Just a light dusting of the freckles, before dancing off again. This time to the back.

"Well? You find out anything?" Murphy asked, turning to face him.

"Yeah. Guy's bad news. Definitely." Rocco discretely passed a piece of paper to Conner. "He's got ties to the Russians. How she got involved with him, I'll never know. But, there it is."

"What?" Murphy sputtered.

"They aren't very good ones. He's just a foot soldier. Looks like he joined up after she left him. I'd hate to tell her."

"No. No need to worry her about this." Conner shook his head.

"Yer joking! She got a right to know what she's dealin' with!" Murphy balked.

"Hey, I'm all fer tellin' her. But, how's that gonna help her? Make her feel, knowing he's got connections?" Rocco urged, putting a hand on Murphy's shoulder. He'd seen how freaked she was when he picked her up that day. Seen the mess her apartment was when he got back. He'd actually been glad to find her on the street, cuz if he'd had to rescue her from the apartment... That guy was just bad all around. She'd been hysterical. He never thought he'd see her like that. Never wanted to see her like that again.

"She's gonna find out eventually. You think her finding out we knew on top of that and didn't tell her isn't gonna make her raise her hackles?" Murphy tried.

"Look, she's gonna get her hackles up anyways. But you know what she's gonna do if we tell her? She'll bolt. If only to try to keep us outta harms way. Why do you think she fought back when he came over the first time, Murph? Think about it, will ya?" Conner pointed out.

Murphy took a sip of his beer, thinking. How could he forget that day? He'd never thought she had it in her. When she'd stumbled back inside her apartment, fear encasing every fiber of her being. His heart nearly stopped. And when she'd open it again to bean the arsehole with that soup pot... She'd nearly hit Con with the bat. She'd gone absolutely bonkers. He'd thought she'd just had enough. They'd given her the strength she needed to fight back. Or maybe she just didn't want them to fight her battles for her.

"Fine." He grunted. "But I'm warnin' yeh. She ain't gonna be happy when she finds out."

Conner watched her come out with a heavy armload of beer. Her hair was pulled up, as it always was when she worked, and her shirt was a little soaked from doing dishes. Doc took it off of her and she started going around with that grey tub, the one nearly as wide as her arms. He wondered, not for the first time, if she danced professionally at one point. More than once, he'd seen her do something straight out of the ballet. He might actually have to ask her that.

"Hey, St. Paddy's day is coming up next month. You think you'll make it?"

"Yeah. We gotta work that day though." Murphy grumbled. Not happy about it.

"Aye."

"So, who's watchin' her?"

"Doc will." Conner took a sip of his beer. "She's got a double shift all lined up fer it."

"Does she know that?"

"She's the one who told me, ya knob." The trio laughed, back to lighthearted conversation.


	13. Chapter 12- the real 12

**This is the longest chapter for this story yet at just over 3,100 words. And it gets a little heated. If you are reading this story and you are under 18, stop right now. You shouldn't be reading this stuff anyways because it is marked MATURE! So, go away until you're 18+.**

Jenna was more than halfway exhausted by the time the cheers went round, signaling the arrival of her boys. She had beers ready for them before they even sat down and Conner nearly jumped over the bar to give her a kiss. "What on earth has gotten into you two today? Ya start the party early or something?" She laughed. Her accent slipping out at her exhaustion, turning her usual southern drawl into a mix of Irish lilting.

'Thank the mother Mary herself ye ain't some large lesbian." He sat gingerly back onto his stool. She looked at Murphy for an answer.

"Bad day at work." Was all he said about it. They both sighed and lit their cigarettes in mirroring movements with each other. Right down to the flip of the lighter lid. One pushed it down, the other flipped it up. Their movements in sync with each other and yet, different. It always made her smile to watch those moments.

"When's your break, Love?" Conner asked.

"Any minute." He thanked his lucky stars. "You're really gonna have to tell me about this lesbian, if she got you bent outta shape." Conner winced and unthinkingly put his hand on his stomach.

"Don't say that." Feeling ghost pains. That bitch had a helluva kick.

She gave him a concerned look as he placed his cold beer on his lap. She gave Murphy a closer look. "Why does it look like you two got into a fight?"

"It's Saint Paddy's day. How many fights been broken up since yeh started?" Murphy deflected.

She just smiled softly and started to say something, but Doc called her away. They both breathed a sigh of relief. Neither one wanted to tell her they'd gotten into a fight with a girl. Sure, the lass was more lad than anything. But, to see the look in her eyes. Nope. Neither one wanted to see that.

"Hey Fuck! Ass! Get me a beer!" Rocco called, making his way inside.

That was when the party started. For a few minutes, Jenna managed to help Conner forget all about the mean lady, just by the wrap of her arms around his neck and placing a chaste kiss to his cheek. Before she stole his shot. "Hey. That's mine!" He whined.

She kissed him, the taste of the shot on her lips. Just a quick kiss, before she danced away with a laugh. Doc gave him another.

Before they knew it, it was just the gang, nine of them, at the bar while Jenna and Doc cleaned up behind the bar. "N-n-n-now, listen up, boys. I g-g-g-got summat' the say! Fuck Ass!" He spat so vehemently he nearly doubled over. But soon continued, "I'm g-g-gonna have-have the c-c-c-close the- the bar. Fuck! Ass!"

"What?! Why?" They all cried out. Jenna froze, confusion laced across her features. Had she not been helping enough? Had something happened? Was it his health? But Doc continued, raising hands to silence the questions.

"Now- now." He said. "It's the Russians. They're buyin' up all the land round- round here. And they- they're not l-lettin' me renew my lease."

"Hey, maybe I can ask my boss if he can-" Rocco started, but a chorus of boos and naysayers shut him up pretty quickly.

"I got a few days left." He admitted, leaning against the business side of the bar.

"Is there nothing we can do?" Jenna asked. For the first time, she didn't use her barmaid voice. Confident and happy. No, this was her normal soft spoken self very few had been able to see. Conner saw her mind working. Did she know? Did she think this had something to do with Michael?

Doc wrapped a paternal arm around her shoulders. "Now now, you know they s-s-sayin'?" She smiled, fully expecting his mix and match proverb. "People in glass hous-houses s-s-s-sink sh-sh-ships." She laughed, pulling away and wiping her eyes.

"Awe!" Chorused around the bar as the patrons bemoaned his saying.

"Of course he botched it!"

"Boo!"

"Doc, I gotta get you a book of proverbs or somethin'. This mix and match shit's gotta go." Rocco groaned around a cigarette.

"Hey, I like them!" Jenna protested.

"Well, a penny saved is worth two in the bush, isn't it?" Conner teased.

"And don't cross the road if you can't get out of the kitchen." Murphy added with a laugh.

"That one actually makes sense." Jenna defended, a laugh on her own lips as she pointed a rag at the boys. They all laughed and Conner dove over the bar, jokingly, only to be pulled back down by Murphy and Rocco.

The door opened and closed, revealing three beastly men who more closely resembled bouncers than anything. "I am Ivan Checkov, and you will be closing now."

"Checkov? Well, this here's McCoy." Murphy patted Rocco on the shoulder. "We find us a Spock, we got us an away team."

"This place is closed. You and you, stay. The rest of you, go now." Ivan pointed at the two behind the bar and then waved at the rest of them.

"Why don'tcha just relax Boyo?" Conner tried.

"Yeah, it's St. Paddy's day. Everyone's Irish tonight. Why don't you just pull up a stool and have a drink with us?" Murphy tried diplomatic.

Jenna's eyes went to the third Russian. In the back. His head was shaved, but... But was that?... "Michael?!" She squeaked. No one heard it though.

Instead, they were all focused on Rocco, who'd stepped up. "Hey! Boris, what would you do, if I told you your pinko commie mother sucked so much dick, her face looked like an egg!" Ivan responded by punching Rocco into the bar. She yelped, a hand to her mouth.

"Oh no!" She jumped up to peer over the bar, feet dangling a good two feet off the ground as she watched the guys pick him up.

"I'm fine. I'm fine." He mumbled.

The boys had had it. They started speaking Russian. She hadn't known they knew Russian! She watched the exchange as the boys turned back to the bar. Shared a look she knew meant some sort of mischief, and then dove into the fray. "No!" She cried. She went to help, but Rocco caught her wrists while Doc caught her middle and pushed her back over the bar.

"Stay!" Rocco cried, intercepting Michael with the others as Conner fought the man named Ivan and Murphy fought the back up. Michael was dragged up to the bar and she smashed his head with a heavy bottle of tequila. While Doc cheered them on, wishing he was a younger man.

They dragged him away.

Conner made short work of Ivan, and held back everyone from helping Murphy. "He's a big boy. Let him figure it out!" He shouted, pushing Rocco back. Murphy had been shoved to the wine rack and he reached up to grab two bottle necks, breaking them over his head and back.

They dragged Ivan to the bar and Conner gave her a chaste kiss and tied his hands and feet down so he was spread eagle, long ways, on the bar top. The whole place was a mess. "What're...?" She tried to ask, but Conner shoved her in a corner.

Ivan started to come around as Conner sprinkled some spirits over Ivan's backside. A cigarette hung from his lips.

"Conner?" She tried.

"He punched Roc. He ruined McGinty's and that fuck over there is next!" He pointed at Michael's unconscious form. She shook her head as he tossed the cigarette onto Ivan's ass.

"No!" It burned for a moment before she came to her senses. He was screaming in agony as his dress pants burned into his skin. She grabbed a sprayer and hosed him down. "Are you crazy?"

"No, just a tad drunk is all." Conner laughed.

"Take me home." She ordered, snatching her purse from the cubby. "You take me home right now or I'm walking alone." She didn't wait for him.

Conner rose his hands up in defense. She was seething. "You'll..." He tired, turning to his brother a bit.

"Oh, no. I'm not goin' anywhere near that. I'll help clean up a bit." Murphy backed off.

Conner sighed, following her out.

"Boy is whipped." Rocco said thickly past his bloody nose.

"He's gonna be." Murphy laughed.

Conner caught up to her fairly easily, short legs and all. She growled. Actually growled, before rounding on him. "You... You idiot!" She finally spat out. "A bar fight's one thing, but burning him like that?! Was that really necessary?"

"Would you have rather I'd done it to Michael?" So, he had seen him.

"Not the point! That man was just doing his job! You didn't have to add insult to injury!"

"Job?! That's yer Uncle's bar! That's you they threatened!" He defended.

"That justifies tying someone down and lighting their pants on fire?!"

She started walking again. "Hey!" Conner grabbed her arm and pulled her back to him. His adrenalin still pumping through his drunken system.

She froze, looking up at him fearfully.

It caught him by surprise. She'd never actually looked at him like that. "Hey now." He caressed her face. "You know I'd never hurt you, don't you?"

It took a few seconds for her mind focus enough to let her have coherent thought. "You... You scare the living hell out of me." She admitted. "You're both the kindest and the toughest man I know. And I've fallen for you. I mean it. I love you, Conner." She rushed out, when he fell away from her. Hurt. "I... I can't believe you did that, though I know you're capable of it. I can feel that every time I touch you. All that... power beneath the surface." She eyed his chest. "How you choose not to use it. But tonight... Tonight you chose to." She put her hands on her shoulders like she was trying to keep herself together. "And it wasn't power. That was just cruel."

"Jenna..." His voice broke.

She shook her head. "That.. That was..." Her head and her heart were pulling her into two separate places. And for once. She listened to her heart. "Hot. It was hot. And terrifying and... And I... I love you, Conner. And I'm terrified and angry because I've fallen in love with a man capable of something like that." She pointed at the bar behind them. "And it took that," She pointed again to the bar. "For me to realize it."

She turned on her heel and it took him a moment for his brain to catch up to the conversation. "She loves me." He smiled. Only for it to slip off his face when he realized. She not only said it first, she'd said it twice. He really was an idiot.

He caught up to her in the elevator. She watched him warily for a moment, eyeing him as he shut the door and slammed the button for their floor, before he turned and pinned her to the wall, not giving her the chance to escape. He kissed her like he'd been wanting to since he first saw her in the hall way, panting and cursing that heavy trunk. He would have sworn it had bricks in it.

She kissed him back, not even thinking of trying to pull away.

Her hands bunched the fabric over his chest. She felt his tongue on her lip, asking for entrance. She granted it to him, not even hesitantly, and he dove in. His hands roamed over her flesh, dancing over her shirt, before landing on her butt, pert and firm. He gave it a squeeze and pulled her up for a better angle so he wasn't hunched over. She wrapped her legs around his waist, eagerly. A moan emanated from one of them- both of them- they couldn't tell. The lift stopped and he carried her to the door. Resting her against it, just for a moment, he fumbled with the keys. He wasn't a hundred percent sure, who's door it was. He checked. Hers. It was hers. "Keys." He grunted, sticking his fingers down her pockets.

"Purse." She answered against his lips. He let her drop, but didn't let her go as she grappled through her bag. She tried to shake him off so she could concentrate on finding the key. She was shaking, but not from fright. He leaned down, massaging her neck with his lips, tender suckles with light nips. She nearly dropped her keys when his hands pulled her against him. Fingers sneaking up across her stomach underneath her shirt. She finally found the one and he took them from her. Which was good, because she probably would have broken her key in the lock. As it was, he wasn't much better off. He cursed, when the key got stuck, but it soon gave way.

Didn't help she returned the favor of distraction by sneaking her hands up his own shirt, letting her fingers explore the dips and swells of his muscles. They fell into the room, stumbling into that trunk he'd been thinking about. He felt her pull on his shirt and he helped her rip it off before finally kissing her again. He started to do the same with her shirt, but she pushed him away.

"Wait! wait!" She panted. "Too fast. This is too fast."

He nodded, panting too. She was right. She rested her forehead on his chest while he tried to pull himself together. This woman was gonna drive him mad. If his dick didn't fall off first. "Right." He bit out, forcing himself to stop his hands.

"You... I..." She stuttered, her breath tickling the skin of his neck. She searched his face in the dark. "I... I haven't... I mean... Not... Never... I just... I mean.…"

She stuttered, fear and worry overwhelming her. "Jenna. Easy now. We don't.. We don't have to." He shook his head, feeling very much like he was shooting himself in the foot. "I won't force ya."

"You'll... You'll stop?"

"Aye. I'll stop." He reluctantly dragged his fingers away.

She whimpered, but then covered her mouth. Confused, she looked up at him. He couldn't help it, she looked... adorable. He smiled at her. Though, the smile seemed to have a different effect. She seemed to fight with herself for a moment as he resigned himself to a night of blue- She leaned forward. Her fingers wrapped under the hem of her shirt and tugged it over her head. He nearly forgot restraint at the sight of her beige lacy bra. Her eyes turned up to him, and he blushed. "I... I..." He started to spit out.

She held her shirt up to her chest, a deep blush on her cheeks. He gently touched her wrist, and gave it a tug. She tried to tug it back, but he kept a firm grip. "Don't hide. You're beautiful."

She seemed surprised he'd said so. Looking up at him with wide eyes. She lunged at him, this time kissing him fervently, leading the kiss. She pressed against him and his arms wrapped around her waist, before having to drop one to cushion the fall, over balanced, they fell off the trunk.

She yelped, but he refused to let her go now. She didn't fight him on it. And she'd landed on top. She was in charge right now. He felt goose bumps rise under his fingers, her heart pounding against his. Her legs were on either side of him and she froze at the feel of him pressed against her. Her breath catching.

"That..." She wriggled, trying to get away from it or perhaps trying to assess what was under her, either way, it was not good.

"Stop. Stop." He urged, making her still. She wasn't quite ready for that.

"Why do...you...have a flashlight?"

"That.. is not a flashlight." He said slowly.

Even in the dark her could see her blush and her head fell to his chest. His heart was thumping in her ears, hard and fast. His fingers were firm, but not digging, into her hips. She was silent and still above him as he took deep breaths, trying to get hold of himself.

They heard the elevator go down. And her mind went to Murphy and the thin walls that separated their apartment. "You... You should probably go." She whispered.

"Aye." He gulped. But neither moved for a moment.

She was the first to move, carefully, slowly, she swung her leg over so she wasn't straddling him anymore. He felt cold rush onto his skin. Cooling the flesh. Giving him goose bumps. She went to lift up and looked him in the eyes once again. He knew his eyes were betraying him, but instead of shrinking away, she smiled, giving him a soft kiss, and pulling away. Only to hover above him, her breasts just kissing his chest, the soft fabric of her bra whispering across his skin.

"You're... you're amazing." She whispered.

He said something gaelic and she nearly melted all over again. "You're beautiful. I love you. You're worth it." He said.

She kissed him again, this time a bit more eagerly, but before it could grow heated, they heard the elevator again. Conner groaned. "I'm gonna die."

She chuckled. "Go." She urged, letting him sit up. He stood, offering a hand to her.

She accepted it and he pulled her up. He took a moment, hand cupping her face in a tender caress. She closed her eyes. He allowed himself to kiss her forehead, she opened her eyes as he pulled away, a soft smile on her lips. He left without another look back. Both knowing another look would have them both undone.

She sank to the trunk, unable to remain standing, a heat pooling inside her, but it quickly tempered when she heard Conner speaking to Murphy.

"Where's your shirt, you dog?" He laughed.

"I left it." He cursed. She searched the floor, seeing it thrown beside her TV. She snatched it up.

"Didn't last long did yeh?" Murphy teased.

"Shut up." Conner shoved him. "We didn't do anythin'."

"Then why're yeh shirtless?"

"She got a little cold."

"I'll bet."

She chuckled, pulling it on over her head and letting her pants drop. The shirt came to rest about mid thigh. It smelled like him. Musk of hard work and alcohol and cigarettes. She kicked her pants away and climbed into bed, thinking. He'd stopped. He'd stopped himself and he'd stopped her. He'd stopped. And his kiss... It was like...

She sighed happily, pulling the covers over her.


	14. Chapter 14

She woke to the sound of a loud bang. Familiar. Her heart was in her throat as she looked at her apartment door. She hadn't even thought to close her bedroom door last night.

She heard shouting. Next door.

But then, it was her door getting kicked in. She screamed, seized and dragged into the boy's room, by her ankle and then her hair as she was pulled from her covers. Conner was handcuffed to the toilet, Ivan, from last night, was bent over him, gun to his head. She was thrown into Murphy's arms, which she fought, trying to get to Conner, but Murphy held her close. She was half naked and there guns pointed at her and Conner was screaming, fighting the hand cuffs, and then they were getting pulled apart and she couldn't fight hard enough.

"Let go of me! Conner! Get off me! Let go!" She cried, kicking and slapping, a gun cuffed her in the back of the head.

She stumbled back to Murphy, who held her close, protective. "Just a fuckin' bar fight. You guys are a bunch of pussies!" He said, pulling her into his chest. He shared a look with Conner before they passed out of the doorway. They were taken down the fire escape that connected to their apartment and down to the alley, by the dumpster. She was ripped form his arms. "It's gonna be fine, Jenna. It'll be fine!" He called, unable to get to her when a gun was pressed to his temple.

"Murphy!" She screamed, a vice around her arm threw her against a wall. A gun was placed to her head. "Oh God! Murphy!"

She was slapped so hard, she fell to the ground, into one of the trash bags, with a cry. "Jenna!"

She looked up at the man with a gun in her face. It was the guy Murphy had fought, bandages around his head. As she looked up at him, her eyes caught movement on the fire escape. A... A toilet? The lid fell off, as Conner joined it, carrying it over some rain barrels and crates. She screamed as he dropped it and jumped.

The toilet landed on Murphy's guy, Ivan. And he landed on the one holding a gun on her. Two shots went off. She screamed, lunging for him. "Conner? Conner!" She shook him, turning him over. He groaned.

Murphy ran around. Yelling at her. "Jenna! Are you hit? Jenna?! Is he alive?" He raided the pockets of one guy, tossing them into a gift bag from the trash. The other guy started to come around and he took the toilet lid, mostly unbroken, as it had landed in the trash bags, and beat him around the head with it while she shielded Conner. And then looted him as well. He shoved the bag into her hands and shouldered Conner. "Come on!" He tugged her down the street.

"Murphy they…"

"They're dead, come on!" They ran to the hospital, them in their bathrobes and her in Conner's shirt. "Are you hurt?"

"Just... Just my head." She admitted, a little dizzy. She didn't know how they made it to the hospital, but they were seen by the time Conner came around.

"Murphy was amazing." She babbled. "He just... it was so fast. I didn't know what to do. But... He was amazing." She said again. Making both boys chuckle. "Ow!" She winced as the doctor prodded the cut on her scalp.

"No stitches." He decided. "But should you feel any dizziness or nausea within the next 24 hours, I strongly recommend you come back." He said before examining the growing bruise on her face. Conner and Murphy had been seen to first, she'd insisted on it. Even though Murphy'd only been slapped around a little. She'd held tightly to his arm as they examined Conner and now her. She was shaking. The hospital bringing back memories she'd rather be left forgotten. "Do you need me to call anyone?" He murmured.

She shook her head. "They didn't do this." She assured, a furious look on her face. "They saved my life."

Both boys shared unamused looks as the doctor gave a shrug and a glower of disappointment. "Wait in the hallway. I'll have your discharge papers ready in a moment." He sighed, going to the next in line.

Conner limped to one of the overflow beds and sat on it. Murphy helped her sit next to him. He went to call Doc while the two sat in relative silence.

"Are yeh sure you're ok?" Conner asked.

She nodded, hand to her face, holding the cold compress. "Are you?" She whispered.

"I'll live."

She slapped him.

"Ow! What was that fer?!" He blocked her next slap. She wasn't hurting him, but he was taken by surprise.

"Don't you ever do that to me again! You scared the living shit outta me!" He caught her hands, her fingers running over the bandages that wrapped around his wrist, hiding the cuts from the cuffs. "I thought you were dead!" She fell into him, sobbing. He wheezed a bit, but held her tightly. Just as tightly as she did him.

"I know. I know." He murmured, running his fingers through her wild hair, pressing kisses to her temple. He'd been terrified. Terrified for her and Murphy. After what Ivan had said to him.

Murphy came back to them and Conner held out his hand. Murphy slapped his own into it and held it for a second. Grateful for the contact. She lifted her head to look him in the eye. "Sorry." She said.

"What for?" Murphy questioned, raising an eyebrow.

"The death grip earlier." She blushed.

"Hardly felt it." He assured. He had.. Once his arm went numb. Her grip was like steel. He didn't know how Conner handled it.

"What do we do now?"

"Doc's headed this way. We'll drop the stuff off and maybe try to salvage the apartment." Murphy offered. "Someone just had to tear the toilet up." He teased.

"That thing was disgusting. I'm surprised you hadn't done it ages ago." She scoffed. Conner ruffled her hair. "Ah!" She hissed.

"Good goin' ya klutz!" Murphy whacked his brother's arm.

"Ow!"

She laughed as they started fighting a bit. Knowing they would be ok now. However, her eyes went to a little boy, who was watching them warily. He seemed frightened. She leaned over, for he was right next to her. "Don't worry, they're harmless." She assured. He eyeballed her cheek. "They saved my life. They're good guys. I promise." She chuckled. She saw a comic book. "Oh, you like batman, huh?"

The boy nodded, smiling.

"I'm a fan of his too. Normal guy with lots of money, what's he do with it? Save lives. A girl can get behind a guy like that." She laughed, not noticing how the boys were watching the exchange. "You waiting to be seen?"

The boy nodded.

"First time?"

He shook his head this time.

"Waiting is always the hard part." She sighed. She put the bag of dry ice down, her face pretty numb now. "You learn how to people watch yet?"

The kid looked at her confused.

She jerked her head to the side, his eyes fell to the receptionist. "End of her shift, see how she keeps looking at the clock? And there's a doctor checking charts, but really, he's just trying not to fall asleep. Security guard at the door, bored out of his mind. Doing the same thing we're doing. Watching. But really, he's thinking about lunch already."

"How do you know that?" He finally spoke. His voice was full of wonder and awe.

"Keeps looking at the vending machine." She whispered conspiratorially, more than a little white lie on her lips. It was a hospital. Everyone was tired. "If you watch people, they'll tell you everything you need to know without ever saying a word to them."

"What about me?"

"hmmm... That's a tough one." She mused. Though, it really wasn't. "You fell doing something you weren't supposed to be doing."

His eyes widened.

"Your mother looks worried and irritated. I'd expect a full punishment as soon as you're home." She slid her eyes to the exasperated woman signing papers at the nurse's station.

"That's amazing!"

She laughed. "Power of observation." She flicked her hair over her shoulder, giving Conner and Murphy a wink. She excused herself to go to the bathroom when a nurse brought her some spare scrub bottoms.

When she came back, Murphy and Conner were playing with the boy, resting his hands against Conner's and had his eyes closed while Conner talked. Only for Murphy to reach over and slap one of his hands. "See? So fast you couldn't even feel me let go, could ya?" He teased and the boy shook his head.

Their attention was pulled to Doc, who finally came through the doors. They excused themselves as she joined them.

"It was self defense." Conner was saying when she reached them.

"That's what he said. Here he ga-gave me his- his c-c-c-carc-car- Fuck! Ass! Oh, he fuckin' gave me this." He shoved the card into Murphy's hands.

"How would he know that, we ain't spoken to anyone?" Conner asked.

"Look, he just came by and assured no charges if you came and explained what happened." Doc's eyes caught sight of Jenna. "Oh Mother Mary!" He gasped.

"I'm fine, Uncle. I am." She assured, wincing a bit when his thumb brushed her cheek. "It's not as bad as it looks."

"Fuck it's not!" He cursed.

"Come on, we'd better get going." Murphy supported Conner as they lead the way to the police station. It wasn't a long walk, usually, but hobbled as he was with a twisted ankle, it was rather difficult.

She opened the doors for them as someone was talking loudly. "...Scared little bunny rabbits. Bunch o' flashin' lights and uniforms is gonna spook 'em. What we're better off doing is draggin' a potato around south Boston and hope for the best. Thanks for comin' out."

They exchanged looks before Murphy chuckled, catching the eye of a man in front of everyone. A lean, lanky man with shoulder- length blonde hair. "You'd have better luck with beer." He called out, getting everyone else's attention.

She shrunk behind Murphy at the attention of all the police officers. Her hard driven instincts long since beaten into her telling her this was not the place to be.


	15. Chapter 14- the real 14

**Dedicated to my sister, who loves this franchise. She's always been supportive of my writing. Even when it sucks.**

They were seated across from Special Agent Smecker of the FBI in an interrogation room. "Been lookin' for you for a long time, Miss Potter." She started. Not expecting that. Neither were the boys as they looked at her. "Long standing bet is your ex killed you. Guess I win the pool." He shrugged.

"Uh..." Her heart was racing, her mind stopped, eyes ready to dart for the door.

"You're not in any trouble… Is she?" Conner turned to Smecker, a hand on hers.

"No. She was wanted for any information she might have on one Michael Checkov. Thought they might convince her to turn states evidence. As it stands, none of you are being charged with anything." He assured, bringing them back to the matter at hand.

She took a deep breath, shifting in her seat. "I need some air." She got up, only to be stopped by a cop.

Smecker nodded, making him let her pass. She wouldn't go anywhere without the brothers MacManus. As it was, she went to the water fountain to take a sip, only to jump when a presence joined her. It was one of the detectives. A large wide eyed man, donuts in his hands. He offered one to her by way of apology. "Thanks." She muttered, accepting it.

"Looked a little green. You ok?" She nibbled at a piece she ripped off.

She nodded. She could still see the boys, they all had smiles on their faces, amused and pleased all around. They were led out soon enough and she was called back in. The three met in the middle. "You all right, Love?" Conner asked.

"Yeah." She assured, smiling up at him. "I just needed some water. And a doughnut." She lifted her treat a little. "Where are you guys going?"

"They're gonna let us stay here for the night. Journalists and whatnot."

"You've still gotta give your statement." Smecker interrupted before she could follow the boys. "Come on little lady, I won't bite." He promised.

She nodded and he guided her with a hand at her back. She sat in Conner's old seat. She wasn't the same religion Conner and Murphy were, as where she'd been raised was predominantly southern Baptist and she'd taken after her father rather than her mother in that department. But she prayed to God that the Earth might swallow her up or that Conner might come back to offer support./ But no. He told her. She needed to do this. Conner couldn't help her here. It was time to let go.

"You're under no obligation here. But I was hoping you'd answer a few questions after your statement about what happened?" She nodded.

"Ok." Her voice was soft. So soft he nearly mistook it for a sigh. There was something good about this man. Not just at how he was at his job, but... He was a good soul. He wanted to know and not judge her. He seemed truly interested in her story. "What... What do you wanna know?"

"What happened this morning?" He asked, pushing a button on the recorder.

"I...I woke up to a loud bang and fighting. I thought... I thought that Michael had come back. But... It wasn't my door."

"What was it?" He prompted.

"It was the MacManus' brothers' door. Um... But, mine was kicked in not too long after. I didn't even have time to... do anything. They dragged me out and pulled me into the next apartment."

"What did you see?"

"Um... Men. Two guys from a bar fight last night. They were, uh... Russian mafia or something like that. They came back for revenge because they got their... butt's kicked. Wounded male pride and all that." She sighed, rubbing her forehead to ward off a headache. "Conner was chained around the toilet and I was pushed at Murphy. He caught me. But, they didn't let us stay together long. They... They told Conner something. I couldn't hear it. I couldn't hear anything. I was so... I was so scared." She swiped at her eyes and he offered her a Kleenex. "Thank you."

"And then?"

"We were lead down the fire escape. Murphy was taken one way and I was taken a little further in. He hit me in the head with his gun at some point. I can't remember when. Everything gets a little... out of order after that." She admitted.

"Just try the best you can." He urged.

"He... He had a gun pointed at me. The- the guy who was watching me."

"Which one was that?"

"The one that had bandages around his head. He hit me in the face and I fell. And he pointed the gun at me. And... I... I didn't want that to be the last thing I saw. So... I looked up." She took a breath. "And there was a toilet floating above the fire escape. No. That's not right." She shook her head. "Conner had the toilet. He'd ripped it from the floor. He threw it one way and jumped the other. He landed on my guy... and the toilet landed on Murphy's. I... I heard gunshots. I... I thought he was dead." She sobbed. "I thought he was dead!"

"It's all right now. It's over. It's over now." He soothed kindly, giving her the box. She took another tissue. He let her collect herself and turned off the tape to replace it with a fresh one.

She took a sip of coffee, grimacing at the taste, but relishing the warmth. She waited for him to ask his questions.

"What happened December 25th, 1995?"

She flinched. She'd known he'd want to know, but expecting it and hearing it were two different things. Two different hurts. "I... I don't know."

"Miss Potter, you don't have to lie. Just talk to me. It doesn't have to go anywhere but me."

She scoffed. She wasn't stupid. "Just like I wouldn't have to do anything I didn't want to with Michael." She mumbled.

He turned the tape off. "See, just you and me. No pressure. I just wanna know how you escaped."

She hesitated.

"Would you rather I get Conner back, would that make you feel more comfortable?" She was already shaking her head no before he finished the question. "Take your time." He leaned back in his chair.

She nodded. "It's difficult. All men like to hit the same spot." She gestured to her cheek. "Like to make things fuzzy and unfocused. Off balance." She was looking at the table, memories threatening to bog her down. "I'd worked really hard on Christmas dinner. It was hands down, the best meal I had ever cooked. But I forgot to make a.. uh... What was it? It was some stupid Russian side dish that I can't even pronounce. It had peas in it and onion or something. Anyway, he threw a fit over it. Once everyone had left. But, he wasn't really upset about the dish. He'd just used that as an excuse.

"You... FBI guys... Were squeezing in on him. He hadn't even... technically been initiated into the mafia and you were already jumping down his throat over his drug rings." Smecker raised his eyes at that. "Yeah, I knew about that. Hard to miss when he's having stuff shipped to the house. Moron." She scoffed. "Never had any actual drugs that I could find. But, I knew. It was something to do with the artwork."

"What makes you say that?"

She shrugged. "He'd talk about paintings that didn't exist sometimes. Others were these... these well known ones. I think he was trying to see if I was paying attention or something." She shook her head. "It was code. His mistake was talking in front of me like I didn't know the Woman in Gold." She scratched at an eyebrow; she was getting off track. "He beat me pretty good, screaming about that damn dish I forgot." She ran her fingers over the sweat ring from her cup on the table. Drawing swirling designs. "But, that night. I'd decided. I wasn't gonna spend my life with a man who was gonna hit me over a dish he didn't even want and I couldn't even pronounce. So I waited until he was asleep before I picked myself up. Which was difficult because he'd dislocated my shoulder again. But, he caught me in the garage. I'd stolen his car, the... The silver one with the pin stripe?"

"The Camero?" He asked.

"Yeah. He ripped me out of it pretty fast. Shoved me at some guy, a newbie. I don't recall his name. Just those wide eyes. He ordered him to take care of me." She swiped the designs off the table to finally look at Smecker.

"He took me to this... This quarry. He was supposed to have a partner with him. Idiot wanted to have a go at the boss's girl before he killed her." He let his face give nothing away. She was very detached about this. But then, she'd had a lot of time to think on it. To stew. To remove herself from the memory. But her eyes started to water as she remembered. "He let me get close enough to grab his knife. And I... I just swung. I didn't mean to kill him. But... He was... And... And the knife it... It just happened!" She hugged herself. "He made me get down on my knees and I just... I grabbed the knife and... I swung and it caught against his skin. There was so much blood." She let her eyes fall back to the table, wild and unfocused. "I stole his car while he was screaming. I dumped it in the next town and stole cars from Missouri to New York. Where I'd contacted family I thought he didn't know about." She finished.

"That man was still alive when you left him. Your wounds weren't enough to kill him. Just severely handicap. You're not a killer." He said.

"I'm... I'm not?"

"No." She sighed, sagging into her chair. That was an enormous weight lifted off her shoulder. But as he waited for her mind to settle, she caught on.

"But he is dead, isn't he?"

"Oh yes. Shot to the head." She took a deep breath. "If you want to make this statement official, I can take the necessary precautions, but you will be put into protective custody."

She shook her head. "No. I've given you everything you need to find what you need to take him down. You don't need my statement." She'd gone about as far as she'd be willing to.

So, he only asked one more thing, "Are you aware that the fact you knew what was going on and did nothing, makes you an accomplice?"

"No. It makes me a survivor because I didn't just do nothing." She snapped. "I kept notes." She slapped a hand to her mouth. She acted like she hadn't meant to say that. He waited. "Fuck!" She cursed. That was going to be her trump card. God had other plans... "I... I knew he wasn't going to let me go. Not without something to hold over his head. And, I... I wasn't sure of anything... I had no real proof, but I knew he'd search for me when I left. When he calmed down a little... But I couldn't just... I couldn't just sit by and watch him ruin lives. I couldn't just leave him standing there with everything." She admitted. "If I tell you where everything is... Will you please, please, just... Leave me out of it?"

"I can't promise that." He said. "Statements are one thing. But actual evidence that can be used in court. There are too many variables to guarantee your absolute dismissal."

"Can't just take it back, can I?" She sighed.

"You could. Nothing's been recorded." He gestured to the tape recorder on the table, off still. "But could you live with yourself? He's still out there ruining lives. What'll happen to the next girl he sets his eyes on?" He pushed.

She looked up at him and sat forward. "I'm so tired, Special Agent Smecker. I'm exhausted." She let her head fall to her forearms for a moment before leaning back. "It's at the catholic church. In the statue of Mary... by the door. Bottom of the platform. Next to the wall."

"What'll we find?"

"An old program from my dancing days. It's got everything I know." She admitted. She felt a release, like the set of vice grips around her had loosened. Like she was free.


	16. Chapter 15

She lay in the cell with the boys, next to the wall on her own little cot. The boys were getting their little spots ready, joshing with the guards and thanking them for the spare blankets when Rocco came in with a fresh set of clothes for the boys, who'd been walking around in their bathrobes. She thought about Agent Smecker.

He was smart, so smart. He'd known about her family here. Her estranged uncle. He'd tracked her down, but couldn't get close to her until the incident this morning. He hadn't been able to discern where she lived, and the bar was too crowded, too public. He'd wanted to get a tail on her, but couldn't without alerting anyone in the mafia's pocket as to her whereabouts. So, he'd had to wait, bide his time, and hope that Michael didn't get to her first.

She stared at the ceiling above her cot as things settled down for the night. Until Conner's head popped into view. "What happened?"

"I gave my statement." She shrugged.

"Why would the FBI be lookin' for yeh?" She sighed. His tone said she wasn't going to get away with anything. No defensive bullshit. No deflecting. No distractions. Murphy was watching her from his cot.

"Michael's in the Russian mafia. While they were trying to get him for a drug ring charge, I ran away. They thought he'd killed me." She admitted.

"So... What now?"

"They go find my insurance policy. And... I dunno. I'll probably be taken into protective custody." She tried really hard not to look at Conner when she said this, blinking hard so tears didn't fall.

"You mean that thing you hid the first time we took you to church?" She looked sharply at Murphy. "When you thought we were in confession?"

"What did you do?"

He smirked and leaned back on the bed. "I took it."

"Murphy, if they don't find it, I'm going to be held as an accomplice to whatever they charge that asshole!" She nearly leapt at him.

"Easy now!" Murphy laughed as Conner held her back.

"Do you trust us?" Conner murmured in her ear. He nuzzled her hair a bit, avoiding the dried blood.

"...Yes." She said reluctantly.

"Then trust us." Murphy smiled, "We won't steer you wrong."

That night, she slept soundly, guarded by the police and Conner and Murphy. She didn't even hear the storm or the boys wake up or see the leak in the ceiling. She was nearly dead to the world. She was at peace.

The morning brought coffee and donuts. And Agent Smecker. He took her aside as the boys were separated. Conner to make a call and Murphy to talk to the cops. They were all pretty good guys. Nice enough anyways. "It wasn't there."

"That's where I put it!" She assured, wide eyed. "What do you mean it wasn't there?"

"Are you sure no one saw you put it there?"

"Ye... No." She thought. "It's a church, It was early. Did you ask the cleaning staff?" She asked. They had to find it. She told herself.

"I did. No one saw anything like that. Now, nothing of what you've said is on record. It's just between you and me. I've got enough to get him on drug charges, but without that extra information, he's not going to stay put for long."

"You... You told me I was gonna be tried as an accomplice!" She hissed, hugging herself again.

He chuckled. "My first priority is your safety."

"You scared the shit out of me!"

"That was the point. Now, without that information, you are a sitting duck. Are you sure that was where you put it?" She nodded, feeling very much like she was going to cry. But she had to trust Conner and Murphy. She had to.

"What now?" She looked up at him as Conner and Murphy watched the exchange from afar.

"I suggest you stick close to those boys of yours. In the mean time." He held out a card. "Keep in touch." She nodded, accepting it.


	17. Chapter 16

**All right, happy belated forth of July! Do not read this if you are under the age of 18. Enjoy!**

 **Script**

The boys dropped her off with Rocco, who was in a nice little apartment with grey walls and cabinets and an actual kitchen. In her thanks, she cooked him dinner, for when he got back from whatever mission he had to do for work. Which was also mafia related. Only of the Italian persuasion. She wasn't told much of anything, other than they'd be back sometime tomorrow, or in Rocco's case, probably in the wee hours of the morning. So she made something that would taste good, even when reheated. Jambalaya. She slept on the couch, cuddled in a lap cover and the cat that purred in her ear.

She was woken by drunken singing when the sun was well in the sky. "We did it!" They cried, Conner tackling her.

She yelped, though he kept most of his weight off of her. "What?"

"We took care of it. Smecker can find the information and keep you out of it."

"That's nice, why are you laying on me?" She groaned, exhaustion eating at her. She'd cleaned Rocco's apartment for him for lack of anything better to do.

"You just looked so damn comfortable." He laughed.

"I was." She whined.

"What's this shit? What'd you do? Where's my stuff- Oh, there it is." Rocco mumbled.

"Are you guys... drunk?"

"Proper shit faced over a job well done." Murphy handed her a beer and she rubbed her eyes, realizing very quickly she was not getting any more sleep.

She accepted it, but Conner snatched it and drank it himself after he stole a kiss as well. She stumbled to the bathroom and swiped some Advil from the medicine cabinet. "Food in the fridge." She grunted, a bit bleary eyed this morning. She opened a window to let out some of the cigarette smoke. But then Conner handed her a beer. "You take one just to give me one?" She laughed.

"You want it or not?" He swung it in front of her face and she sighed. If she was gonna have to deal with these idiots she was not doing it sober. She made them some eggs and bacon. Working with a proper stove made her feel a lot better.

"This place does look pretty good now." Rocco assessed, looking around as he lit a cigarette.

"Thank you. I did my best."

They gobbled everything as soon as it hit the plates and then drank some more. Her head stopped pounding when she finally gave up and went back to sleep in Rocco's room. Leaving them to their fun.

However, she woke with a loud bang, like a gunshot. She stumbled into the living room as the boys yelled out, suddenly very sober. "What is it? what's-"

Conner shielded her eyes, but she'd already seen. Blood and guts clung to the wall. She swatted his hands away. "Who got shot?! Oh my lord! Where's the first aid kit?!" Her hands flew over the boys despite their protests. Conner finally told her.

"It was the cat! We're fine. No one was hit except the cat!"

"...Who shot the cat?" They pointed at Rocco. Who looked at her wide eyed.

"What'd she do, pee in your coat?"

"No! It was an accident!" He defended. She looked back at the mess and then at the boys.

"I've lost thirteen years of my life since I met you boys." She sighed and started cleaning up. Bottles and cups and plates and then moved to the blood. They watched her move methodically. She couldn't get rid of the entire blood stain without bleach, which he was out of, but Murphy found a nice picture to put up that covered... some of it.

She put a pot of coffee on and made them some dinner. They decided to play cards until about 12, when everyone agreed to go to bed after Jenna, the most sober and therefore the best cheater, won her sixth hand in a row. She stretched out on the couch again and listened to the boys snore for a while until she couldn't lay there anymore.

She pushed up, and went back to the kitchen, pouring herself a fresh cup of coffee. She hadn't asked any questions, afraid of the answers mostly, but another part of her said everything was going to be all right. Not to worry. She nursed the black stuff, unable to really look for anything to put in it because she didn't want to wake anyone with banging cabinets. She leaned against the counter end, by the radiator, just looking out over the streets of New York for a moment.

"You should be in bed, Love." Conner mused.

She tilted her head, unable to see him in the dark. "Actually, you should be in bed. I slept most of the day away." She chuckled.

"Something on your mind, Love?"

She shook her head as he came over, eyes peering out to see what she was looking at. "Not this time, just couldn't get comfortable." She ducked her head when he started nuzzling her. His fingers started roaming over her waist.

She leaned into him, enjoying the touch, but soon his lips were seeking hers and he gently lifted her onto the counter top for a better vantage. She swallowed a moan of his as he gently pushed between her legs, easing into it. "What about Murphy?"

"Murph can go find his own girl." He grumbled. "This one's mine."

"No." She chuckled. "He's right there!"

He thought for a minute, before taking her hand and guiding her out the door. He led her outside and into the alley. "There." He pushed her against the brick wall.

"Cold!" She yelped, clutching at him.

He chuckled. "Give it a minute." He mumbled, falling back into her lips. He propped her up on the wall, holding her in place with a knee between her legs, making her gasp. She felt his fingers burn trails over her skin as he moved his lips to her neck. She moaned softly. She'd never been touched like this before. She'd never even wanted to be touched like this before. She felt a hand entwine in her hair while the other massaged her breast.

He nipped and licked at her skin making it ache and soothing it all at the same time. It was all she could do to hold onto him, her hands roamed over his shirt, under his jacket. She felt the muscles rolling under her touch as he pulled her up and she automatically wrapped her legs around him. She felt a bulge push against the soft fabric of the scrub pants she still wore. She gasped.

She froze all over again. And Conner, still in a haze, took a minute to notice, but when he did, he sighed. "Hey, it's me. It's just me." He whispered.

He stank of dust and alcohol and cigarettes. But he looked at her with such love and lust. She was heaving, her chest pushing against his. He waited, holding her there like she didn't weigh a buck twenty. "Out here?" She asked after a moment.

"Got a better place in mind?" She blushed at the implication that she'd been thinking about it. "Do you want to stop?"

"You're still drunk, aren't you?"

"A bit, why?" He said, chuckling.

She smiled softly at him, caressing his face as she examined her predicament. Still drunk and letting her make the decision. "Because I want us both to remember this."

"Oh, I ain't that drunk." He laughed. "I'd have ta be dead before I forgot a night with you."

She blushed all over again at his tone as he set her down. However, he wasn't expecting what happened next.

Feeling a little bad about denying him again. She tugged his pants towards her, making his lips crash into hers. While he was distracted, she worked at his belt, turning him so his back was against the cold brick, and then the button of his pants. She kissed down his front, nibbling at his shirt just to drive him crazy. She unzipped him. "What the-" He started but it turned into a groan when he felt her hand on him. She ran her hand up and down the shaft, before looking up at him as she placed a kiss on the tip.

He groaned, nearly collapsing against the wall, quite unaware of when they'd switched places. He felt her tongue flick the underside of the head, making him twitch before she plunged over him, her tongue swirling around him. She was an expert. Moving as fluidly as she might the floor of the bar, every twist of her tongue was accompanied by a twirl in his mind as she evaded Rosie with her tray of drinks. Every hum in her throat was her sashaying around taking orders. Every pull was a jump up to give him his drink, and every push was her landing on the ground. He soon found himself breathless and his hands in her hair. She bobbed up and down, occasionally swallowing him in. She reached up with one hand, running her fingers over his skin as he came undone. Putty in her hands.

He wasn't quite satisfied, but his pain was eased. She let him pull her up and his thumb wiped at the corner of her lips. He did himself up. She was looking at him warily, like she expected him to do something. So he kissed her. She yelped in surprise, but kissed him back as his thumbs massaged her jaw lightly. He broke the kiss when her heart started beating out of her chest and she tried to pull away from him. "What was that for?" She asked, breathless.

"Well what was 'that' for?" He chuckled back.

"You just... You've been so patient and... You haven't gotten mad. So I just... I just wanted to thank you." Gone was the confident little minx, and in her place was his Jenna. His shy, worried Jenna.

"And here I was trying to help you sleep." He teased.

She smiled softly as his fingers pulled her close. She was heated, skin flushed, lips swollen, eyes lidded. "What, you thought that was easy?" She panted.

"Oh, I know it wasn't." He kissed her again, gently this time. "Remind me to return the favor sometime." She bristled a bit, a heavy blush spreading over her face.

"No." His playful demeanor was instantly gone as she shied away from him.

"No? You don't like them or you've never..."

"Men don't do that."

"Real men do. Especially when in reciprocation." He nearly purred.

"I said no." Her tone immediately got his notice

The good buzz was gone now. Just what kind of arsehole had she been with? "You know this isn't all about taking, yeah?"

She looked at him, confused. "What?"

"Haven't you been with anyone to show you what you can feel?"

"I... I don't understand."

"How many men yeh been with?"

"...One."

"Did yeh ever get to enjoy yourself?" She seemed confused again.

"I enjoy being with you?"

"No, I mean orgasm. Did yeah orgasm?" He felt a headache coming on. She shook her head no. "How old are you?" He finally asked.

"Twenty four." He ran a hand down his face. He should not have to have this conversation with a grown woman.

"Mary mother of God. You've gotta be joking." He mumbled into his hand.

She hugged herself, insecure. "I wanna go back inside now."

"Wait, no!" He stopped her with an arm, keeping the door shut.

"Conner it's late and it's cold and I'm done talking about this. All it's doing is making you angry and me upset. Just let it go."

"I'm not angry at you. You know that, right?" She paused, eyes narrowing at him warily. No, she had not known that. "That asshole has left a serious gap in your knowledge. All he ever seemed to do was take from you and I'm left to clean everything up."

"I'm so sorry this is such a chore for you." She bit out.

"That's not what I meant!" He cried. He sighed and shoved his hands in his pockets when she flinched from him. Making him feel like the asshole now.

"Pray tell, what do you mean?" She asked, trying not to cry.

"I mean," He started, but thought for a moment, choosing his words as carefully as he could. "I mean that you know one guy's way of taking from you. Let me show you what it means to be loved."

She looked at him confused all over again. "I thought that's what you'd been doing all along."

"Not just emotionally. I mean physically. Let me take care of you for a change. If yeh don't like somethin' I'm doing or you ain't ready that's one thing, I can be patient and understanding. But to not even try? Come on, give me a little credit, Love."

"...You want me to let you..." She gestured to herself.

"I want you to let yourself feel what you make me feel, even in part."

She swallowed hard. Not quite able to make a sound. Not quite sure what kind of answer to give.

"Not tonight. It's too much to ask of yeh tonight." He added, seeing her panic. "Not after this. But just, think about it. All right? Can you promise me that?"

She thought for a moment about what he was asking. "All right. I can promise that."

 _ **CrInGe... I love and hate this chapter for many reasons. any guesses why? But, neither here nor there. IF you enjoyed this chapter, please let me know.**_

 _ **Though, I have been told that for some reason some people could not comment, I have no idea why or how to fix it, but please feel free to message me! Letting me know if you like it or not will help me become a better writer and also update faster. So, keep that in mind! Ta for now!**_


	18. Chapter 17

**I live! I promise! So sorry for not updating lately. I... have depression. And could not even find it in me to just upload the chapter on here. But, here is the chapter. Again, please do not read if you are over 18. And please, let me know if you enjoy the story or not. I love hearing from readers.**

 **Script**

The morning sun brought moody hangovers for all. Jenna made a fresh pot of coffee, of which she didn't even get a cup of before she was pushed out of the way, the pot drained, and a new batch was made. "No offense, Lass, but your coffee's weak shit."

"Sorry."

"Nah, bout time I found a fuckin' fault. Too perfect you were." Murphy laughed as Conner glared at him, his mouth full of toast.

Soon, the bitter smell filled the kitchen. She gave an experimental sip of Murphy's batch, only to grimace. "Oh, that's bitter."

"Here." He passed her the milk and sugar.

"Like tar." She took three heaping spoonful's before she was satisfied enough to sit down.

"Puts hair on your chest."

"Where's yours?" She scoffed.

Conner snorted into his own coffee.

"If yeh don't like it, you don't have to drink it."

"I wouldn't, but someone drained the pot down the sink before I could even get a cup." He glared at her for a second and she did the same.

"That mine?" He finally let his eyes slide to the table.

"It was. Now this, is mine." She snatched a piece of bacon off his plate and walked off to sit in the living room.

Rocco shuffled out of his bedroom, looking worse for wear. He ignored her and the food she'd set aside for him. Grabbing a cup and partaking in the coffee with a sigh. Conner went out for a smoke with a look at Murphy. Rocco finally noticed the food. "That mine?"

"Yeah, watch the bacon thief." Jenna stuck her tongue out at him and took a meaningful bite of the stolen piece.

He rolled his eyes and she went back to the TV.

She soon found herself left alone in the apartment and someone yelling, two someone's. She peeked out to see Rocco walking off towards his car. "You start feeling like something ain't right, you get the fuck out, quick!" Conner was shouting as Murphy came back in.

"What's happened?"

"Damn Wop's an idiot." He grumbled. "Gonna get himself killed."

"What?"

"That mission he went on last night, it was a suicide."

"What?!"

"Fuck're you doing?" Conner stormed in.

"What's going on?" She looked between the two of them. "Murphy? Conner?" They stared at each other, having a conversation in that way that they did. That only they could do. "Hello?"

"Rocco was sent on a mission to kill nine Russian Mafioso's with a six shooter." Conner answered finally.

She gasped, "No!" A hand to her mouth. "How did he... How did …"

"We got there first." Murphy admitted.

"You were there?!" Her voice was more breath than anything. "Both of you?" Her eyes darted from man to man. Praying they were joking.

They weren't.

She sat down on the kitchen chair. "What... What happened?"

"We dropped in through the air ducts. Took 'em all by surprise."

"No!" She breathed, more excited now. It was like she was a kid listening to a bed time story now. "Tell me everything."

They spun a fantastical dreams filled with the Voice of God, of duct crawls and rope tanglings and in tandem shooting. And them shoving her little playbook under one of the bodies for Smecker to find. At the end, however, she was presented with the undeniable proof of the case filled with cash.

She reached out a tentative hand to touch it, picking up a small bundle, only to drop it. "Do you... do you understand, what you've done?" She looked up at them.

"Yeah, we killed bad guys."

"That's not all you did, Murphy." She shook her head, standing, putting the chair between her and the suitcase. "That is blood money. That's... That's something that people will kill over. What you've done is... You've started a damn pissing contest! Do you know who's going to be rushing to fill the gap that you've just created? Do you know who's going to get caught in the crossfire? No, you don't! Because you can't! Do you understand how easily this can be used to someone else's advantage? Did you even think for a second what kind of vacuum this was gonna create?"

The boys shared a look before looking back at her.

"Look, the... The voice of God part. That's... I'm not even touching that. I don't even know how to handle that, but... Everything else. Guys, whatever else happens you have to be extremely careful. If you don't know what you're doing, then the entire thing comes crashing down."

"What're you saying?" Conner asked, voice hard as he masked his own emotions.

"I'm saying... You're both idiots if you think you can do this alone. If you don't understand what you're doing or what lives are at stake or... Or how things will fall. You're gonna get buried. Especially if you don't consider how they're going to retaliate. Because they will."

"Is that an offer?" Murphy asked around his cigarette.

"No! This isn't my God given mission. I just wanna make sure you two chuckle heads can see beyond the next bad guy. Because this will end badly for you if you don't. Tell me you've got an end game and I swear- I promise you- if it's just to kill more bad guys. I will burn this cash with you standing on top of it."

They looked at each other. "We're tired of seeing people cheat the system. Of breaking the law and getting away with it. Both God's and man's." Conner started.

"Yeah, they deserve to be punished." Murphy said.

"That's basically kill more bad guys." She deadpanned.

"Do you not want us to do this?" Conner was hurt, and it showed.

"No! I don't! But damn if I don't know you're gonna do this anyways." She cried, standing up again. "Look, if you don't understand what happens when you do this kind of thing, then you are going to die. And if either of you die on me I swear I'll tell your momma." She threatened. "In person." They gulped.

"Jenna, we know how dangerous this is." Conner assured, reaching for her hand across the small table.

"Do you? Because it seems to me you two just think it's a game. Or some stupid action movie where the good always triumphs over the evil. Tell me you won't be manipulated. Tell me you'll watch what you're doing. Tell me you'll come back to me. Tell me that you know this is real life where people die. Because they will. These monsters don't hide under the bed in children's nightmares. They're people. And people are the cruelest monsters of all. And If I have to find out one day that they got you two." She stopped, putting a hand over her eyes so they couldn't see her tears. "You have to understand what you're doing. Because if you don't... it'll all fail. It'll all be for nothing."

"We'll pay attention. We know the risks." Conner promised.

"Really? How are you gonna find your next target? Just wait for the next bunch of baddies to fall into your lap?" She paused. "How'd you find the Mafioso's anyways?"

"You can thank our old friend Ivan for that." Murphy flicked the ash of his cigarette into the ash tray. "And as for the next bunch of baddies…"

"Rocco's helping us out."

She took a deep breath, steadying herself on the chair, gripping it so hard her knuckles were white. She wanted to scream and rage at them, but that would do no good. Everyone would just shut down and nothing would come of this. This was dangerous ground. If she lost it now, she'd lose them forever. "Because Rocco's such a genius. How's he helping?"

"He's been in the Italian mafia for years. He knows the inner workings like the back of his hand." Conner took a drag.

"So you're switching from the Russians to the Italians? What's next, the triads? The yakuza? Are you kidding me? These guys are gonna retaliate and when they do... You'd better be prepared for it, you fuckin' lunatics!" She let go of the chair, to whirl and land against the cabinet- the one Conner had kissed her against last night- she couldn't think about that now.

"Oh, we're hoping for it." Murphy scratched at his eyebrow with a thumbnail.

"Do you know how easy it would be to manipulate you two to just be hitmen for hire? Point you in the direction of a 'bad guy' and sit back and watch the bullets rain? How much damage you could do if someone had the presence of mind to do it? How easy it would be for them to move up if they had you two on a leash?"

"Rocco would never-!" they started but she waved their protests away.

"I'm not saying Rocco. I love him; he's an idiot. But someone else. Someone with ambition. I'm talking about someone who doesn't care about your God or your values. I'm talking about someone like Michael." She stared them down.

She watched them think about that and excused herself to go to the bathroom. She didn't know if this really was God's plan or just some twisted convoluted temptation, but they were headed down the path head first. She closed the door and splashed some water in her face. She heard the phone ring while she was in the bathroom. It was a short conversation. She didn't really pay attention to it. She slapped a hand onto the lip of the sink. Of course she'd fall in love with a man who would drive her crazy with worry. Of course she'd fall in love with a man who was all kinds of his own crazy. She sighed. Looking at herself in the mirror.

She was tired, not just tired, dirty. When was the last time she'd washed herself? It felt like days. She went into the bedroom to try to figure out if she could wear any of Rocco's girlfriend's clothes. She hadn't been by in weeks, Rocco had said. Might as well take a shower. She grabbed some pants that looked like they might fit if she rolled up the legs a few times and a simple blue shirt with a v neck.

She grabbed a towel and a rag and went back inside. She stripped, stepping into the shower and relishing in the feel of the hot water.

"Jenna?" She froze.

"Yeah?" She jumped when the door slid open. "Conner!" She cried, covering herself.

"Shove over." He stripped and joined her. She moved to the far side of the tub as he scrubbed his face a second.

"What... What are…"

"Have you thought about it?" He asked.

"This is hardly-"

"Isn't it?"

"Murphy's right-"

"Outside taking a smoke break." He put a hand to her mouth, gently, and kept talking. "You said your piece, now listen to mine. I love you, Jenna. And I'm always gonna be honest with you. Now, in the spirit of honesty, I've never seen you so passionate about something. Save that dancing you do when you think no one's watching. And that was hot as Hell. You deserve to know just how much I love you too. As you've shown me. I promise to protect you, with everything I have. I promise to cherish you and respect you. I promise that no matter what, you will have my heart as you've given me yers. And I will always trust you as you trust me." She blushed.

"That's... That's lovely... It couldn't have waited 'til I was out of the shower?" She squeaked.

"Nah. I ain't done yet. You trust me, right?"

"Of course." She promised.

He wrapped an arm around her waist and hoisted her up. He sat her well away from his manhood as he teased her lips with his. But soon, he trailed down her neck, nipping and licking, following the blush, the goose bumps. She moaned, soft and breathy. He held her up as his hands searched the shelves for a bottle of shampoo. Coming up with a good option. Pert 2 'n 1. He ran his fingers through her hair as he trailed back up to her lips, gently massaging her scalp. When her hair was saturated, he pushed her under the faucet. He grabbed her hands and wrapped them around his neck.

He took the rag and teased her flesh a bit. He ran it over her neck slowly, up and down her arms, over her breasts, brushing against her nipples, at her rib cage. He never stopped moving, paying rapt attention to every whimper, every shiver, every flinch and freeze. She listened to his whispers, let his fingers roam her curves, study every dip and hill. She kept her eyes open for as long as she could stand it, until she allowed herself succumb to his ministrations, signaling she really did trust him. He touched every part of her, save the one she held most sacred. The one he knew was aching by now. She was putty in his hands, but he didn't take advantage.

He seized her lips once more and started to touch her without the rag, retracing his pathways, creating a few new ones. Paying particular attention to the area's she'd started to moan and whimper and gasp. Her breath was shallow. She opened her eyes to look up at him as he put her down.

It took every ounce of his self control not to slip up. Not to betray himself. The amount of care and worry and love she had shown him. The amount of trust. It would not be betrayed. His kisses started going lower and lower, suckling and biting and licking. Soon he was kneeling before her, hovering over her fuzzy mound. Giving her time to say stop. Expecting it. But when he looked up at her and saw her eyes were not only open, but pleading him to ease the pain. He teased her with a sensual kiss just at her hip. She was gonna have to give him verbal permission.

"...Please." It didn't take long. She whimpered.

He wrapped a leg over his shoulder using his hands to steady her hips, using the wall to support her as much as he was. Because he knew as soon as he started, he'd have a reaction. He was not expecting her to bend over him in a cry as he kissed her lips. A small cry, a whimper more than anything.

But she pushed herself up as he continued, not breaking the entrance line. Letting her get used to the feel of him being there before his tongue darted in to flick the little nub. She gasped.

She was already dripping and not just from the shower water. He teased the nub, knowing she was bordering on pain as he'd been. When she grabbed his shoulders, digging her nails in for a second before her hands traveled to his hair and soon he was inside her, tasting all of her with his tongue. The place no one had been accepted. The one place that she trusted only him with. He nibbled and suckled and stroked within.

It really didn't take long for her to moan, just as softly as ever, nearly missed by the water cascading over them. She was close. He let his fingers squeeze and rub over her thighs and her hips, her ass and realized she'd lifted another leg over his shoulders so he was the only thing holding her to the wall. Her back arched as he dove into her, moving her over his face. He looked up in time to see her head tilt back and emit a silent roar as she ended completely. Her body pulsing over him. He held her there, precariously balanced, until she slouched into the wall. He put one leg down, securing her so she wouldn't slip, and let the other down.

He found he was panting too, feeling nearly as spent as she was. He stood up, a little jelly legged himself. Kissing a trail up as he went.

She held onto him for dear life and he turned the water off. He grabbed her towel from the rack and wrapped it around her before sitting her on the toilet, letting her come to terms with what had happened. He'd need a cold shower himself after that, but that could be tended to later. Right now, was still about her.

 **Please review or message me. I love reading feedback!**


	19. Chapter 18

**Oh my goodness! Two updates in as many days?! What? All thanks to the anonymous reviewer who keeps commenting on this story. OR... the multiple ones who comment.**

 **This is just a bit of nonsense. Enjoy!**

 **Script**

Rocco came rushing in. "Grab your shit! We gotta go! Now!" He cried, running around, grabbing a duffle bag and putting pots and pans and clothes and anything he could get his hands on, not really paying attention to what he was grabbing. Conner and Murphy tried to calm him down. Jenna was still resting and Rocco's girlfriend had made an appearance with her friend. They were currently zonked on the couch.

Jenna shuffled into the room, watching from the corner of the living room. Rocco's girl friend saw her and glared. "Rocco..." Jenna edged towards the kitchen. "Rocco...!" The girl tried again.

He was still ranting about something happening at work, at the deli.

"Rocco!" Her and her friend shouted.

"What, bitch?!" He finally rounded on them.

"Who's she?" She pointed over his shoulder to Jenna.

"Conner's girl." He snapped.

"Oh... Where's my cat?" She asked then.

"I killed your cat, you druggie bitch!"

"W-why?" She asked, startled.

"I felt it would bring closure to our relationship." Rocco almost laughed, would have laughed. She probably wouldn't remember this in the morning anyways. Hell, she probably wouldn't remember this in twenty minutes.

"You killed my... my.…"

"Your what?" Rocco fished.

"My…"

"Your fuckin' what, huh? Your what bitch?" Jenna did not like where this was going. She rushed to Conner, and hid behind him. Which was just as well because Rocco pulled his gun out. "I'll shoot myself in the head, you can tell me that cat's name! Go ahead! Your what, your precious little...?"

"Skippy!" The friend of the girlfriend supplied and Donna agreed. "Skippy!"

"Oh, Jeez, what color was it, bitch?" He yelled at her, exasperated.

"Don't you yell at her like that you prick!" The friend shouted as she cried.

"Shut your fat ass, Ravie!" Rocco yelled, turning the gun to her. "I can't buy a pack of smokes without runnin' into nine guy's you've fucked!"

Rocco, finished with his ranting, ran back to the boys, who'd been watching and piling things into the bag that would actually be needed. Conner shoved the suitcase of money into Jenna's hands and pulled her along to the door.

"Liberating, isn't it?" Murphy asked.

"Let's go!" Conner called, running down the stairs.

"A bit, yeah."

Jenna piled into the back seat with Conner, still a little shaky. It just seemed to be one shock after the other.

"You ok?" Conner mumbled.

She blushed when she felt his lips brush the shell of her ear.

"The gun wasn't loaded." He mumbled at her continued silence.

She looked up at him.

"He'd emptied it earlier." He assured, though not saying more than that.

They stopped at a store and Jenna grabbed a few clothes and a new book. Missing her things at the apartment. She was sure everything was trashed. Or gone. Or both. She'd worked hard on that collection. She sighed, going to the register behind the boys, already reading her new book. "You gonna pay for that?" Conner teased.

She didn't even take her eyes off of it and the cashier went with it, using the gun scanner to get to the bar code. She started walking to the car. "He's paying." She pointed at Conner, who grabbed her bags.

She very well couldn't. She'd been without her purse since the beginning of this little adventure. They stopped off at an apartment that belonged to one of the boy's family. Luckily, that family was out of town for now. They dropped her, the food, and some of the supplies, and then Rocco herded the boys out. Not once did she seem to notice their absence as she kept flipping the pages of her new book, eager as ever to find out what was happening in the next chapter.

However, when they came back, Jenna was cooking, nearly to the end of her book. Already. "How do you do that?" Rocco asked.

"Timing." She answered, flipping the burgers. They'd gotten a little splurgy and gotten quite a bit of food. It was rather nice.

She held the plate out to Conner, who took it as he passed by. The next went to Murphy, and the last went to Roc. "Not eating, Love?" Conner called.

She ignored him as she flipped a page, her eyes flying over the words. Suddenly, it was snatched out of her hands. "No!" She cried.

"Kinda sappy shit is this?" Murphy asked, flipping the cover over to read it. Not expecting to be tackled by a five foot nothing woman. He fell out the chair with a laugh.

"Give it back! I was at the fight scene!"

"How ironic." Conner teased, grabbing it off the ground. She froze on top of Murphy, who was holding her by her wrists so she couldn't smack him again.

"Conner. You give that back." She said ordered, her tone rather dangerous.

They'd never seen her like this.

"Let Murphy go." He urged slowly, a smile threatening to ruin his tough guy routine.

"But... But…"

"Now."

She got off of him and walked slowly to Conner like he was a dangerous animal.

"Did you eat?" He asked as Murphy hopped up.

"...Yes." Conner's eyebrows hot up.

"Are you lying?" He prompted and she squirmed, wrapping her hands in a the hem of her shirt, twisting it like her insides were at the thought that she'd not get the chance to finish the book.

"Yes."

"Where's your food?"

"...On the counter."

"Go and get it."

"Can't I just.…"

"Go. And. Get. It." He ordered.

She sighed and did so. Sitting at the table, waiting expectantly.

"That's a lot of power to have over somebody." Rocco mused. "Let me try."

"No, please! I was almost done!" She whined. "I'll eat my food as soon as I find out what happens! Please!"

"Eat first, book later." Conner compromised, setting the book beside his plate for safe keeping.

"But-" She stopped at his glare and ate a French fry. Eyeing the book as he sat down. Murphy watched her, her mind turning as Conner went to his food. He saw her leg start bouncing, her fingers start tapping. Soon, it got Rocco's attention. But Conner seemed oblivious to the storm brewing inside his beloved.

She couldn't take it anymore.

She tackled him. "Uh!" The air whooshed out of Conner as she scrambled for the book. She grabbed hold of it, and started to get up, only for Murphy to grab her round the middle and Rocco to snatch the book. Murphy threw her onto the couch as she screeched. She tried to get up but Murphy sat on her.

"Ooof! Oh God, eat some lettuce!"

"Hey, that's not nice." Murphy pointed and she tried to bite his finger.

"Move and the book gets it." Rocco called, a lighter under the corner.

"No don't! I... I'll be good. Promise!" She raised her hands in surrender. "That's the last in the series. Come on. You can't be that mean." She froze. Horror in her eyes. "Can you?"

"Yup." He nodded at Murphy, who got off of her. "Table."

She got up and started walking slowly. However, Rocco didn't count on the cheap gas station lighter in his hand to burn his fingers when the plastic started melting. She ran for it, snatching the book from his hand and cackling as she ran to the bathroom, locked the door, and stayed there until she'd finished her book.

"The fuck was that?" Rocco asked as Murphy helped Conner up.

"Little demon spawn." Conner grunted, sitting back at the table. He stole half her French-fries. Murphy stole the other half. Rocco took a bite out of her burger.

"Never thought she'd attack someone over a book." Rocco mumbled around the bite.

"About the only thing she would, other than to protect her friends." Murphy mused.

When she came out, she sighed. A smile on her face. She put the book in the nightstand and laid on the couch. "Better?" Murphy called, a smile on his face.

"Much."

"You forgetting something?" Conner prompted. Her stomach rumbled and she went over to her plate. Long cold.

"Who ate my food?!"

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	20. Chapter 19

The boys came bursting through the door, making her jump. They were yelling and boisterous and bloody. So much blood. "What.. What happened?!" She cried, as Conner and Murphy supported each other and Rocco cradled his hand.

"Ambushed by a psycho mother fucker!" He spat.

She grabbed towels and let the hot water run. "What're you doing? Having a baby?! Heat the iron!" Murphy snapped.

"You gotta have a sterile-"

"The iron!" Conner screamed at her. She jumped and grabbed it, it was an iron lump, mostly there for decoration, she thought, but she set it on the stove and let it heat up.

"What happened? One guy did this?" She helped Rocco wrap his hand. His pinky finger had been shot off.

"We just finished the job on the hitman. And he was waiting... in the street." Conner struggled.

"Hey, don't close your eyes!" She shouted. She pressed his wound with the towel. They'd been shot to Hell. He cried out. "Keep pressure on it." She warned. She went to check the iron. "It'll be ready in a minute." She promised. She gave them water to stay hydrated and some beer to numb the pain. She knew it would thin the blood, but they had to have something for the pain. And it was all they had.

Soon enough, the iron was finished. "Hold him down." She ordered. They held Rocco down and she pressed the iron to his stub of a finger.

He screamed, muffled through his belt that she'd shoved in his mouth.

She moved onto Conner, the worst of them. He'd been shot twice. One in the shoulder and then once in the leg, that meant she had to cauterize three holes. Because the shoulder was a through and through. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry." She chanted as he held onto Murphy for dear life, biting through the belt. She had to reheat the iron before she got to his leg. He was panting, looking down at her as she dug through his leg, looking for the bullet.

"Where'd you learn this stuff, Love?" He sighed. Wishing he didn't know the answer.

"Gotta learn how to treat your wounds. Gunshots get reported automatically if you go to a hospital." She wasn't a doctor, but she knew her way around some emergency medicine after helping one that made a visit- on the rare occasions it wasn't for her. "Michael had a doc he paid off. I had to help sometimes. Sometimes, the doc couldn't get there in time. Learn how to make do." She'd never been shot, thank the lord. But she knew how to stop the swelling of a bruise. Knew how to reset a dislocation. Knew how to wrap ribs. But this stuff, this was on the job. The bullet popped free. She put it in a bowl.

She checked the iron. It was ready. Rocco held his legs and Murphy held his waist. She resumed her chant until the deed was done, Conner reaching up to clutch at Murphy's shoulder as he watched the woman he loved sear his flesh closed.

Next was Murphy. She dug around his shoulder for a while. "You guys must be blessed by angels, none of this was fatal." She mumbled. "Almost got it." She assured as Murphy flinched as she pushed and poked at the exposed muscle and raw nerves in his side. "There!" She sighed, sitting back for a second before grabbing the iron and pressing the tip to his side. Conner holding him down with all his might, using the rag he'd chosen to stuff between his lips as an anchor to keep him out of her way. And Rocco held his legs.

She watched over them while they passed out for a few hours, recovering. She sipped at a glass of water like it was something stronger, wishing it was. But the best had been spent to knock the boys out and clean wounds.

God, She prayed silently, looking up at the moon. Please... Please watch over them. I know their plan is crazy. I know they're a bit stupid. I know they're doing their best to do right by you. God, I'm terrified. Please. Please. Use me however you can. Please get through to them. Please help them. I know I'm not as religious as I should be. I don't talk to you near often enough, but please. Please, this isn't for me. This is for them. They need you, so badly. Please God, protect them. Please.

She closed her eyes, bowing her head as her tears fell. Why would God give her this new family, if only to take it away again? Was there some sort of lesson she was supposed to learn? Don't love crazy men? Or.. Maybe she wasn't doing the right thing? Maybe she wasn't helping them the right way? Her mind went to Agent Smecker, but she couldn't reach him. His card was in the pants she'd left at Rocco's. She sighed. After that shower, she'd forgotten them behind the door.

"Jenna?" Conner's soft call from his spot on the bed had her padding back to him. "What're you doing up? Come back to bed."

She did so, slipping into his tired arms. "Your spot was cold." He grumbled.

"You don't need me tossing and turning into you all night." She mumbled.

"Let's me know I'm still alive." He chuckled, pressing her closer against him.

"Do you need anything?"

'Just you, Love." He sighed, pressing a kiss to her hair.

"I should check on the others."

"They're fine. Can't you hear 'em snoring? Go to sleep." She did, snuggling into her pillow, his arm thrown around her waist.

They woke her trying to shuffle out "quietly."

"Where's my shoe?" Rocco asked. "Hey, Murph. You still alive?"

"Sh! She was up all night. You wake her up, I'll shoot your other finger off."

"Too late." She groaned, getting up. "What time is it?"

"It's early, Love. Go back the sleep." Conner tried. She'd tossed and turned all night, whimpering, mumbling their names. She'd stopped close to sun up, but there were distinct bags under her eyes. They'd worried her, scared her half to death. Considering they'd come in about one in the afternoon, patched up, and passed out, she'd played nurse for a long time.

"Where are you going?" She rubbed her eyes, getting up.

"Just to church, Love."

"I'm going too!" She threw the covers off of her and hopped into the bathroom, only to come out a few seconds later with a fresh shirt on and buttoning her pants. They were definitely not leaving without her this time. She threw her hair up into a long tail and shoved her shoes on. Conner rubbed his face, giving Rocco a look. Rocco gave him a sheepish one in return while Murphy helped her into her jacket.

Rocco drove, still a bit sleepy. Well... a bit is a bit of an understatement. He was damn grumpy.

Jenna seemed alert, despite her lack of sleep, keeping her eyes on the scenery. She fiddle with her zipper tongue on her jacket as they grew closer to their destination. Murphy, who'd climbed in the back with her this time, watched her out of the corner of his eye, curious as to her thoughts. Once Rocco pulled up, he'd barely stopped when she threw her door open and all but ran into the church.

"What on earth is...?" Conner started.

"I gotta say, this early morning shit has gotta go."

"Sorry, Roc. We'll be back soon. Just stay around." Conner turned back to the church as Rocco settled in.

"Somethin's up with her." Murphy murmured back as they followed behind.

"I see that."

"Think it has to do with yesterday?"

"Has to, yeah?" / Murphy just shook his head as they went in.

She didn't follow their beliefs, but she was knelt in one of the pews, head bent and lips moving. They sat a few pews behind her, but she caught sight of the priest. She looked like she was going to get up... But just settled in again.

The boys soon settled in as well, beginning their own conversations with God, though Conner kept watchful eye.

It was because of that, he saw Rocco enter the church, following after a familiar agent Smecker. He saw them both enter the confessionals. Rocco following the priest she'd been eyeing. She made to go to the priest's rescue, but Conner, put a hand on her shoulder and shook his head, before going after them.

He jerked his head to Murphy and she nodded, sitting back down.

He would handle it.


	21. Chapter 20

Jenna watched him go, a prayer in her mind. But something told her everything would be fine. It was strange. She'd been thinking of Agent Smecker all morning, most of the night. She leaned forward in the pew, her head resting in her hands, which lay on the back of the pew before her. Was God actually listening to her again? Was he really here? Was she going the right path? Were they?

Jenna closed her eyes as she felt a rush of love and peace. God, she thought. 'So awesome is your power. Thank you so much, for this opportunity. Please continue to be with us. I know it was you who got them back to me last night. That porch had no cover. The shots missed anything major. The boys had kept cool heads, and my hands hadn't stumbled. Please God, help me be of service, both to you and to them. Guide our actions so that we may prosper. Please, help us. Let your will be done...God, I'm so scared. I'm absolutely terrified. I know all things are possible, but I am so scared. Please... Please keep them safe... as safe as possible. Please, if... if it be your will... Bring them back to me. Please.'

A hand on her shoulder made her jump, a small gasp on her lips. But it was just Murphy. A small smile and a jerk of the head. Time to go. She got up as Conner pushed Rocco and turned to apologize to the priest. "Go, just... Just go." He said, thoroughly shaken.

"Of course." He bowed his head, wrapped an arm around Jenna, and guided her to the car, glaring daggers at Rocco's head. She wrapped an arm around him as well. He didn't look at her, but he did lean down a bit to whisper in her ear. "Are you all right, Love?" She nodded. She'd wanted to talk to the priest, perhaps agent Smecker. But her conversation with God had helped ease her heart. He gave her a soft squeeze, "Everything's taken care of. You don't have to worry, Love. As long as you're with us. As long as we have each other. As long as we follow God's plan." She looked up at him as they made it down the steps. She would have stumbled, had his arm not been wrapped around her.

At home, they began to prepare. Making Jenna sit down, she watched them. "Are you sure? Isn't this a little soon? I mean... You've all just been shot! You should recover and... and..."

"No, Love. We don't have the time."

"Aye, their ranks are closing in. They know that we're after them. We wait any longer and we'll lose our shot."

"I know that house like the back of my hand." Rocco added, loading a magazine of the bullet holding kind, not the reading. She wished it was just reading. "Those dumb fucks won't know what hit them."/

"Aren't you rushing into things? I mean, if they're as aware as you say, surely going in there is... is..." Jenna put a hand to her mouth, shaky and cold. Her stomach rolling. This wasn't right. It was too soon.

The men shared a look... Well, Rocco and Murphy shared a look and then turned their gaze on Conner, who raised his eyebrows. What was he supposed to do?/

Comfort her, you dumb-ass! Rocco mouthed.

She's not gonna let us go like this. Murphy waved.

Conner sighed, putting his things down. He'd been cleaning the gun as Murphy wiped down pennies and put a few guns back together as well. "Jenna, come on Love." He urged.

"No! You're leaving again!" She jumped up, glaring tearfully. "You... You three. Please. There has to be a better way! Please!"

"Jenna, we have to do this. If we don't do this now, we'll miss our chance."

"No, they'll be there. Don't you see? This is dangerous. Have you thought of everything? Don't look at me like that! I'm not being hysterical! I'm serious!"

"We know. We know that, Love." Conner tried, hands out.

"This doesn't feel right. I mean, going into a house like this. Anything could happen. And... And... If anything, right now is the time to relax. Let them think they've won. Let them think you're done. Let them relax. Please!"

"Jenna, there's a hitman after us. If we don't move now, he could find us! He could- He could find you!"

She stopped. Were they... Was this move for her?

"Please... Please don't do this." Her voice was so small. She shook her head. "It's too soon."

They all shared another look, as if just realizing what this might be doing to her.

"All right. All right, Love." Conner tried again. This time, she let him wrap his arms around her. He gently guided her to the bedroom. Let the boys work and perhaps talk her down a bit.

"No, it's not all right, Conner." She swiped her eyes furiously. She sat on the bed. She was still exhausted, he could see it. But her eyes remained focused. "You all just came back yesterday! Shot to hell and... and now you're…"

"Love, you trust me don't you? You trust us?"

"You know I do."

"Then trust me when I say that we will always come back to you. No matter what, we'll be with you." He sat next to her and embraced her, an arm around her waist, the other lifted his hand to her cheek, swiping at a stray tear. He'd never wanted to be the one to make her cry, but he couldn't seem to stop.

"You can't promise me that." She turned away. "Not when you're going to do this." She pointed at the door. "Conner, this isn't some movie or book where good always wins. Things go wrong. And... And that place- you can't predict what's happening inside. Watch the place for a few days. Watch routines. Watch behaviors. Don't just go in blind and hope for the best. God doesn't work like that!"

"You don't think God wants us to do this?"

"I don't know God's will, but I know man's manipulation. Please. I'm not saying don't go at all. I'm just asking you to wait. There... There has to be a better way!" She tried.

He stood up now. He walked away from her, thinking, one hand on his hip, the other in his hair. "If we don't move now, that hitman will come back. We don't have the time. And Rocco knows those guys. He knows the house. He knows the way in. They'll never know we're coming 'til we're right on top of them."

"Then..." She stood too. "Then let me go with you. Please. Don't ask me to wait here. Don't ask me to wait here and worry."

"No. Absolutely not!" He nearly shouted.

She jumped. He'd never yelled at her before.

"Conner.…"

"No! You're staying here where it's safe. I can't protect you there! I can't do this if I'm thinking about you!"

His eyes were wild, frantic. He had to get her to understand. She shrank in his gaze for a second, not looking at him. But then, her shoulders set and she stood her ground against him. "You aren't going without me."

"The hell I'm not!"

"Conner, please! I can wait in the car. I can-"

"You're not going and that's final!" He put his foot down.

"What if you don't come back?!" She finally yelled. "You're asking me to wait here where it's safe, but it won't be if you don't come back!"

"It won't be safe if you go with us!"

"Conner, please!"

"No! Don't ask me this. I won't budge. You're staying here where it's safe. I can't protect you. Don't ask me."

"I... I'm not asking. I'm telling."

"And I'm telling you no! It's not gonna happen!" He turned around, slamming the door. She ran to it, only to find he'd blocked the door.

"Conner! Conner let me out! Please, please don't do this! Conner!... Murphy please! Talk some sense into him! Rocco, don't do this! Conner!" She rushed the door. "Let me out!" She jiggled the knob. She kicked, she rushed it again. "Please! Conner!" She beat on the door. But no one answered. "Conner!" She heard the car start and ran to the window.

They were piling in.

"No!" She beat on the glass. "Please! Conner! Murphy! Rocco!" She saw Murphy and Rocco gaze at her as she tried to open the window. It was stuck fast. "Don't leave me here!" She tried.

Conner shook his head, said something and Rocco put the car in reverse.

"No!" She cried. "No!"

He finally looked at her with such anger and love and so many other things she couldn't decipher as she tried to open the window, to get to them. And then he was gone. They were all gone.

"Dammit!" She smacked the glass so hard it bounced in the frame. This window was so old, painted shut. But she was not staying behind again. She could not just sit here like a good little house wife. She couldn't just do nothing! She took her elbow and slammed it into the glass. It didn't break, not at first. She was not staying here.

She would not be left behind!

She moved back a bit, determined. She would follow him to the ends of the earth. She was not going to let him leave her behind. She was done letting men make her decisions for her. She slammed her foot into the glass. It finally shattered.


	22. Chapter 21

Jenna found a car that was unlocked. Which was surprising, because this was New York. But the owner had had his arms full with groceries. She slammed the trunk down and ran for the driver's seat. She locked the doors and heard yelling as she ripped the dash out and hot wired it. She'd gotten rather good at it when she'd been on the run. It was a quick job. She slammed the car in reverse and peeled out. She'd seen the plans. She knew the way. Hearing Rocco talk about it. She knew where she was going.

She was done overthinking about things. There would be no more what if's. Not right now. Conner had wanted her to listen to her heart. Well, it was telling her she'd better get going. She checked the car at a traffic light. "Come on. Everyone has a gun. Come on..." She checked the passenger console. Nothing. Checked under the seat. Nadda. Checked middle console. A 9 mm sig Sauer. "Better than nothing."

The sun was setting and her heart was racing. She hadn't driven since she got to New York. Since she'd moved in next door to these boys. She never thought, not in a million years, she'd be running towards a man. Not after Michael. Never thought she'd feel like this. Never thought she'd feel the need to protect a man. Never thought... She never thought she'd feel like this.

"God, she prayed as she drove. God, please. Please, let them be ok. Let me get there. Let me help. Please.

The gun was heavy in her lap. It was large for her hand. She hadn't ever shot anything besides a .32 special and a rifle. But that was a long time ago. It was when her mom had been dating some Texan who'd been nice. He'd wanted her to protect herself. He'd wanted her to feel safe when she got old enough to be dating. Mom hadn't liked that date, but went with it. Though, the relationship didn't last long when she found a new guy. After her father died, she was desperate. She changed.

She said she could never love a man again. But she was only human. So, she had flings. Which was a shame. She'd liked Roger.

She shook her head. Didn't need to be thinking about that. Focus. She told herself. She pulled her knife from the passenger seat, where she'd thrown it, and stuck it in her bra. She loved her boobs. They were big enough to hide small things. Not that they weren't perky. She danced and exercised too much for them not to be. But, they were big enough.

It was night time when she pulled up to the house. She drove around the block and started walking. A car passed her and then stopped. She stuck her hand in her pocket clutching the gun.

"Jenna?!" A woman came out of the car. A very... familiar woman.

"Who's asking?"

"What are you doing here?!" That voice..

"Agent Smecker!?"

"Are you insane? Get in!" She thought about running. She didn't know what this man was doing, and she didn't want to know. "I'm going to help them!"

""With what, their make up?"

"Ha ha, very funny. Get in before someone sees you!" She did.

"Why're you dressed like that?"

"Disguise." He said.

"...You look pretty."

"Thank you."

"You have lipstick on your teeth."

He gave her a look and checked in the mirror. "Damn." He pulled over and wiped it off. "Gimme your gun."

"What?!"

"Jenna, I'm going in there to help them. I promise. I know what they're doing. I know everything." He said. "Give me. Your. Gun." He held his hand out.

She sighed, handing it over. He immediately cuffed her to the steering wheel. "Hey!"

"Where the hell did you get this thing?!" He gave her a look like she had handed him a cannon.

"...I stole a car."

"When I get back, we're gonna have a long discussion." He glared. "Keep the car running, stay low, and be quiet." He gave her the gun back. "Do not shoot this unless you don't have a choice."

"Be careful!"

He slammed the door shut. He'd even wore heels. What kind of agent was he?! How did he look prettier in a damn dress than she ever could?!

She slammed her hand on the dash. "Dammit!"

She stepped into the driver's seat. It was so far back, she couldn't even reach the pedals. She found the lever and pulled forward. She heard shots, making her jump. Her heart was in her throat now. Was that her boys? Were they ok? She watched a man sneak in through an upstairs window. Who was that? After nothing but silence. Another shot rang out. That... That was. A car came tearing out of the driveway. She ducked low, not very hard to do, as it passed. Soon though, Murphy and Conner were running. She honked the horn. They were followed by an older man. She honked to get their attention, unlocking the doors.

"Fuck're you doin' here?!" Conner climbed into the front passenger.

"Don't you- ever -leave me -again!" She smacked him.

"Drive the fuckin' car!" Murphy yelled.

She slammed it into drive and peeled out. "Where's Rocco?!"

"Roc's dead."

"She slung her head around, to say something.

"Watch the fuckin' road!"

She swerved to miss a car. "Why're you handcuffed?"

"Agent Smecker." She snapped. Her eyes flicked to the older gentleman. "Made a new friend." Her tone was icy.

"Jenna, this is our Da."

"No way!" She flicked her eyes at him. He looked very awkward, but stern. Serious.

"Jenna!" Conner cried.

She swerved, narrowly missing a car as she ran a stop sign. "What. Happened?!"

"We'll tell you later. We've gotta get somewhere safe."

"You know what? Fuck you." She snapped at Conner.

"What?!"

She spun hard, spinning the car into a parking space, shutting off the engine, seconds before cops came barreling down the way. "Shit!" Murphy slammed into the window.

She turned to Conner. "You don't ever make me stay home. Don't you ever lock me in a room! And I swear if you curse at me one more damn time, I'll- I'll burn your food and spit in it!" She glared.

"Do we really need to do this now?" Murphy groaned.

"Fuck you too! Letting him do this! You're both morons who thought a half baked plan would fuckin' work! Didn't think it through!"

"Rocco's dead!" Conner finally screamed. "If we'd taken you, you'd be dead too. So shut up and drive the car."

"She glared at him and he glared right back. Hurt and fear and regret and sorrow all roiled up inside him, tearing him apart. She sighed, reached for the key, and restarted the car.

The rest of the drive was silent. They went back to the little apartment and grabbed the suitcase with the money. Their dad watching her the whole time. She ignored him and pulled a safety pin she'd stolen from the car. She picked the lock. "You know how to hot wire a car and pick locks." His accent was just as thick, if not thicker, than the boys'. "And you curse like a sailor and drive a car like a professional."

"You learn how to do things when you're trying to escape." She mumbled. She felt very awkward as the boys came back.

"Let me drive." Their dad said.

She nodded and got in the back seat with Murphy, who'd wrapped his hand. Conner had wrapped his too. Murphy made Conner sit in the back with her. Neither one said anything. Such a distance between them. Though, when they thought the other wasn't looking, they'd sneak a glance. Their father caught all of this.

Their father drove to a motel, getting two joining rooms. She entered hers alone. Alone. She could hear murmuring in the next room as she took a shower, much needed, and came out- only to scream a little when she saw Conner sitting in her room.

He seemed... Lost. So lost.

She opened her mouth to say something, anything. But could only find herself going to him. Her anger and fear forgotten for the moment. She wrapped her arms around him, offering him the comfort he always offered her. He accepted it, leaning into her chest, wrapping his own arms around her. He cried. He cried for his friend and his love. He cried so hard. "I know. I know it hurts. I'm so sorry, Conner." She murmured, tears in her own eyes, but she refused to let them fall when he needed her most. "God's got him now." She said, holding him, petting his hair.

"He's gone. He's really gone." He sobbed.

"I know. I know. It's gonna hurt. For a long time. But he wouldn't want this. He wouldn't want you crying over him." She was in tears herself, but she refused to let them fall. remaining strong for him. He needed her for once and she wasn't going to let him down. Not now.

"I got him killed."

"No, no you didn't." She urged, making him look at her. "You did not get him killed." She said sternly. "Rocco was a big boy. He made his decisions, Con." He started to say something, lips quivering. "No, you didn't do this. Rocco is dead because of a man who does bad things to good people. He killed Rocco. Not you. You did not pull that trigger. You did not make him go in there. Rocco made his choices. You did NOT get him killed." She urged.

He searched her eyes for a second before seizing her lips. She fell back into the bed as his hands rushed over her. They tangled in her clothes, which she'd had no choice but to put back on after her shower, and in her hair, still wet. His kiss was powerful, all consuming. It left her breathless and a bit terrified. He'd never kissed her like this. So forceful and rough.

He was on top of her, hovering above her. But he didn't try to pull her clothes off. He didn't try to take anything further. He'd just needed to know, to feel, her lips. To feel her kiss him back. To make sure she was actually here. With him.

He pulled back after a minute or two, a bit breathless himself. He searched her eyes again, heavy lidded and glittering with lust and love and sorrow and worry. He kissed her, more gently this time.

It was a quicker kiss, one meant to soothe, to ask forgiveness. She smiled softly as he pulled away, his own eyes reflecting hers. She reached up, cupping his face gently, running a thumb over the stubble of his cheek. And kissed him back with the same gentleness.

A knock at the door interrupted them.

With a sigh, they pulled away from each other and Conner answered the door. "Yeah?"

"I would like a word with Miss Potter." Their dad said.

Both glanced at her and she blushed nervously where she stood. She hesitated a moment before waving her arm to the small table by the window. Conner traded places with him and their father closed the door.

He waited for her to sit first and sat down across from her. But she hopped back up. "Would- would you like some coffee? I saw some over-"  
"Miss Potter, I'm here to speak with you." He waved his hand back to the table and she sat down. He observed her for a moment and she waited, fidgeting with her fingers a bit.

She was small. So small. Wild hair that was drying in dense waves. Her eyes were bright if a bit red and swollen from crying. Her voice, once hard and angry, now soft and shy.

He saw the love she had for his sons, the worry and the fear and all that love. She reminded him a bit of their mother. "You know this isn't finished." He finally said.

She nodded. "The Don got away." She whispered.

"This is no place for a woman."

"I can take care of myself."

"I have no doubt about that. But this isn't about being able to take care of yourself, my dear." He urged. "This is a difficult circumstance. We have to do things, dangerous things. And you cannot join us."

""Why?" Her voice broke.

"The boys love you. Conner loves you. And in this kind of life, it would only cause pain. To the both of you."

He sounded as though he spoke from experience. "I'm used to pain, Mr. Macmanus." Her voice didn't rise, but she looked him in the eye like she might throw something at him. Definitely reminded him of his beloved. If more soft spoken. "I've had pain most of my life. Conner... is the only one who doesn't give me pain. He never could. No matter what he does. And Murphy... I've never loved anyone more than I love your sons. Granted, Murphy's more like a brother. But, beside the point." She shook her head. "I will follow them. I will always follow them." She promised. "Mr. Macmanus, I understand that you're trying to protect them from... from the loss that you have suffered. Boys like them could only come from love. But Mr. Macmanus, they need me just as much as I need them. As much as they need you."

He took her words into consideration and nodded. "Very well then." He said, only to lean forward, offering a hand. "It is a pleasure to meet you, Miss Potter."

She hesitantly shook his hand, unsure if this was a trick or not. She'd already been handcuffed once. But he simply took her hand in his own and gave a firm, solid shake before turning it upwards, knuckles up, and placed a kiss on it. With that, he got up and headed for the door. Only to turn back, "They're going to need you now, more than ever." 


	23. Chapter 22

The morning brought coffee she'd bought, beating the boys up for once, and some breakfast sandwiches. Conner and Murphy had slept in the room with their father. She could hear them talking for a long time. It was hard for her to sleep, worried they'd take off and try to leave her behind again. And it was difficult to get comfortable without Conner.

She knocked on the door, or rather... she'd kicked it, since her hands were over full, their father answered it. She blushed, tongue-tied, and held up the refreshments. It seemed the boys didn't get much sleep either as they were rubbing their eyes, one at the little table by the window and the other sitting on the bed. She went to go back into her room. "Won't you join us, Miss Potter?"

She blushed a deeper red and nodded, coming in rather timidly. She'd already eaten, but she still had some coffee. He offered her a seat at the table and then sat across from her like he had something to say.

The boys watched curiously, sharing looks of surprise, as they dug into their sandwiches and drank their coffee.

"The boys tell me you like to read." He finally said.

She blushed, this was so awkward, and nodded. Despite the talk with their father last night, she was very shy around new people. And the fact that they'd talked about her, made her nervous. What else had they told him?

"They also tell me you're in a bit of trouble."

She looked at him wide eyed before turning her gaze to the boys, who just deadpanned as they chewed their sandwiches. Of course they told him. They said silently. She turned back to their father, who waited for her to calm down. She decided to distract rather than answer them. "I called Agent Smecker."

"What?" Conner finally piped up.

"Hell did yeh do that for?" Murphy added.

"He was there last night, trying to help you. I wanted to make sure that he was all right. Did you see him? He went in a few minutes before you came out."

"No." They both said. "Did you talk to him?"

She shook her head. "He wasn't in yet, they said. But I've got his number now."

"And what'll you tell him, my dear?" Their father's tone was dangerous.

She put her hands on the table, trying to appear as nonthreatening as possible, show she had nothing to hide. "I actually don't want to tell him anything. I just wanted to make sure he was all right. He told me... He told me that he knew everything, and he wanted to help. He went in there without back up, Mr. Macmanus. Dressed as a woman?" She questioned.

"What?!" The boys nearly laughed, but their father was staring holes in Jenna's forehead. She stared at his chest, not daring to raise them any further, not daring to look away from him.

"I saw him, thought he was a woman. I knocked him unconscious. He's fine." Mr. Macmanus finally said.

She didn't relax under his scrutiny, too focused on him and his actions. Yes, she'd seen some trouble all right. "I was hoping that one of you might talk to him."

"Why would we do that, my dear?" Their father asked, raising a curious eyebrow.

"Be..Because I know that they want revenge for Rocco. The best way to do it would be at the court hearing."

"What court hearing?" Conner piped up.

"They picked up that guy you were after this morning for all the dead bodies in the house and the deli. He's going to have to face the charges of murder. If we want to get anywhere near him, we'll need help."

"We?" Their father questioned.

"Rocco was my friend too." She tried. "I want to be a part of this in any way I can. Even if it means just sitting in the car or patching you up when you come back."

"You have medical knowledge?"

"Some. I can't- can't do major surgery, but I-I- I can pa-patch a few bullet holes." She stumbled. "I know how- how to...to reset brok-broken bones and- and dislocations." She subconsciously rubbed her shoulder.

She hadn't taken her eyes off their father, neither had he taken his eyes off of her. "And what, my dear, do you think Agent Smecker will do?"

"I think Agent Smecker would be an asset. He's a good man. He... just wants to help."

"And how did you call the police, Love?" Conner asked. She didn't turn to him.

"Payphone. I- I used a payphone. The one in front of.. Of the... the market. With the little deli behind it?" She recalled.

"That's nearly five blocks away." Murphy stood. "What were thinkin', going that far for?"

She stood up now, keeping them all in sight. "I was thinking I didn't want them to trace the call here." She defended. "I'm not an idiot."

"You left without tellin' us anything! You could have gotten caught or hurt!" Conner tried.

"Now you know how I feel!" She finally walked to the door between their rooms. "And I did this for you. Not like you can just go outside." She said rounding on the boys, but keeping their father, who was stoic, in her eye line. He was the unknown. He was the dangerous one. "But I've got his number. Here." She slapped it on the table. "Whether you use him or not, at least let him know you're ok."

With that said, she went back to her room and they all heard the click of the was an hour before they heard anything more from her.

Her knock was soft, but answered quickly. She didn't look any higher than Conner's chest as she presented them with a few bags. "What's this then?" He asked, reaching for them. Only to find clothes. He handed them to Murphy, who searched through them. They'd been talking about washing their clothes. In fact, Conner was shirtless, his shirt drying on the towel rack.

Jenna went to shut the door again, but Conner's foot stuck in the door. "Wait!" He pushed the door open as she peeked out. He looked behind him. Their father was resting on one of the beds. "Can we talk?"

She nodded and let him in. He shut the door behind him. "What?"

"You know I love you, don't you?" She nodded.

"Of course I do. As I love you."

That eased the weight off of him a bit. "You know I would do anything for you?"

"Of course." She eyed him, expectant.

"I want to keep you safe. And... And the best way to do that was to tell Da about yeh." He finally said. "We didn't mean for it to feel like an ambush."

"Well it did." She wrapped her arms around herself as he guided her to the bed. He kept an arm wrapped around her as they sat down. He could see some bruising around her wrist from the cuff.

"You haven't exactly told us what you did last night." He prodded. "How did you get there?"

"I broke the window and stole a car." She rubbed at her elbow, he saw a deep purple bruise. "I parked a few blocks away from the house. Smecker saw me walking and picked me up. Scared the bejeezus out of me." She smiled a bit. "He handcuffed me to the steering wheel." She was grateful he'd left the car running, trying to keep her warm in the cold night. Though, it had done nothing for her nerves. "You know I would never betray you, right?"

"Of course, Love." He pulled her close and pressed a kiss to her forehead. "Of course I know that." They'd been through too much together for him not to trust her completely. "Murph and Da trust yeh too, you know?"

"Do they?"

"Aye. Course they do."

She gave him a look, their father was hard to read. He made her nervous. Not to mention, she'd never met anyone's parents before. Michael's had been dead for a long time. He had a brother... But they were estranged. Michael hadn't liked to talk about him.

"Hey, Da wouldn't talk to you if he didn't trust yeh." He assured.

She sighed, leaning into him. "Are you happy? I mean about reuniting with him?"

"Bit of a shock, to be honest. He's a hitman, after all. Apparently it runs in the blood."

"You're not funny."

"Oh, you lie, I'm hilarious!" He tackled her, pressing her against the bed, assaulting her sides as his fingers danced over her skin.

She laughed. "Stop! No! Hahahaha! Not fair! Hahahaha!"

"See? I'm so funny, yeh can't stop laughin' aye? Say it!"

"You're funny!" She spat. "Hahahaha!" He rose a hand to cup her face.

She settled down, her laughs turning to giggles to a smile. Which he returned. "You're so beautiful, Love. You know that don't you?"

A tinge spread over her cheeks. "I know you make me feel that way." Her hand came up to play in his hair.

She kissed him. It was the first kiss she'd initiated. It was soft and sweet. A bit clumsy, but he guided her as he quickly returned the kiss, just as gentle.

She felt him curl his fingers a bit, tangling in her hair. It wasn't like Michael, never like Michael, when he'd grabbed her by her hair. He'd take a chunk and pull her head around with it, not give her the chance to escape or deny him. No, Conner's entanglement was more, he just wanted to guide, to hold her. It wasn't hurtful or rushed. She let her head fall back to gaze up at him. If this man wanted, he could hurt her just as badly as Michael ever had. But he didn't. Not once had he ever raised his hand to her save to help her up. Not once had he cursed or ridiculed her. Not once had she ever felt unsafe with him. He didn't let her feel used. He didn't push her for things she wasn't ready to give.

Her fingers brushed against his cheek, the stubble rough against her fingers, as his eyes searched over her face, like he was memorizing every detail. The scar on her lip, the way her hair splayed across the bed, the way her eyes brightened as they gazed upon him. The faded bruise of the Russian who'd backhanded her in the alley. Mostly faded, just a slight dusting of yellow and purple. Nearly healed. He let his own thumb trace at her temple, just brushing over the bruise. She didn't wince or flinch away.

Jenna initiated another one, her lips gliding over his. It was a simple, quick kiss. One meant to tell him something. When she fell back once more, she took in a breath. "I will follow you where ever you go." She promised. "I will love you for as long as I'm alive. You know that, don't you? I would do anything for you. You mean so much to me. I never... I never thought I would ever feel this way about someone. I never thought I would enjoy someone else's touch. And yet I feel cold when you're not near me. I feel like I matter when I'm with you. Like I'm more than just... just a thing to be had. I never thought I'd feel as safe as I do with you." She admitted.

He smiled softly, going to say something, when a knock sounded at the door. His head fell to her chest. "Fuckin' Murph." He mumbled before he pulled away from her. She chuckled a bit. They talked a moment, mumbles and mutterings. Their father called and Conner turned to her. "I'll be back soon." He promised.

She nodded, waving him off. She'd need to get something to eat soon. She was rather hungry.

Jenna got up to go to the window, watching the cars pass by. Sitting at the little table, she saw a family walk past. A man and a woman and a child between them. Safe, protected on either side. They smiled and laughed.

She wondered what might be in her future. God had not let her be pregnant by Michael. Not daring to subject a child to that mistake. For which she was grateful, but she'd been with Michael for quite some time. She wondered if she could even have children. Wondered if she'd be able to have them with Conner. Would she want to? Would he? This life would be hard fought and one wrong choice and... She shook her head. She couldn't think like that.

She turned from the window, eyes falling to the bed. She blushed at the memory of Conner laying atop her. And her mind went to the shower at Rocco's. She blushed even deeper. She'd never felt like that. Not ever. She didn't know she could. Not that anything was going to happen with his father and Murphy in the next room. Of course.

But her mind turned to Michael, comparing him to Conner. She'd had to do things a certain way. Learned how he liked things. How he wanted them done. She'd had to learn how to give a blow job just to satisfy him enough to let her rest, at times. So he wouldn't use her the other way. And she'd used the knowledge willingly with Conner. She'd enjoyed his hands in her hair, guiding, not forcing. She'd enjoyed the moans and the sighs. She'd actually wanted to please him just to ease his suffering at her hands.

She'd wanted to please him, not out of fear, but because she knew that he held back so much with her. Knew that he was doing his best to be patient and ease her into a physical relationship. She knew that their kissing and heavy petting was torture for him. But he was patient and kind. He didn't grow angry or upset at her hesitation. Michael had forced her to do things for his own pleasure. Conner had made sure she'd known what pleasure was. Let her feel how she'd made him feel. If she'd made him feel anything like he'd made her feel in that shower... They were both in trouble. Far too deep for this to be a simple attraction. Which was terrifying because the relationship really only started a few months ago, if that. Maybe not even a month? Maybe a month in a half?

Trying to examine the time made her head hurt. So much had happened. All at once, most of the time. It had been one thing after another. Everything seemed to roll into each other.

Jenna jumped at the knock on her door, but went to answer it quickly. Their father was on the other side of it. "May I help you?"

"The boys have come to a decision." He announced, sliding to the side to allow her entry.

Conner had showered and dressed, the pants were a bit loose, but just by a size. Murphy's shirt was long in the sleeve, but he liked it that way. She sidled past him, but kept her back to the wall. "What decision is that?" She asked.

Mr. Macmanus sat at the table, his own back to the wall, next to the window. He waved his hand at the boys.

"We'll talk to Agent Smecker." Murphy finally said after sharing a look with Conner.

"You're right, he deserves to know we're all right and what we intend to do." Conner added.

"What made you decide?" She put her hands over her arms, enveloping herself in a hug.

"When we went to church, he went to the confessional." She nodded, remembering Rocco following him in and then joining the priest. Geez, was that yesterday? The day before? Conner continued, "He knew what we were doing already, figured it out after the shootout with Da, I guess. He wanted to help us then. Thought what we're doing was right. He'll help us get to the Don." She nodded, though she wasn't expecting him to add, "We want you to talk to him as well."

"Why?"

"You're the one who got the number." Murphy piped up. "He'll want to know you're all right."

She sighed. "When?"

"We'll go in a few minutes." Conner said.

She nodded and went back to her room, grabbing her jacket and shoes. She pulled a brush through her hair, but kept it down.

"Ready?" Conner called as she'd left the door open. He closed it behind him and then opened her own to the outside world.

"Murphy isn't coming with us?" He shook his head.

"Nah, he wanted to stay with Da."

They used the payphone down the street from the church. Conner dialed the number as she leaned against the box, keeping watch, yet seemingly uninterested. She didn't listen in. Her mind on the obvious pick pocket coming down the street. He started to go up to Conner, but her eyes warned him away.

"Yeah, yeah she's here." Conner murmured. He tapped her on the shoulder, making her jump. "He wants to speak to you."

She took it and they traded places. "Hello?"

"You stole my car." He mused.

"I apologize. Are you all right? They told me you were-"

"I'm fine. Bump on the head is all. I wanted to talk to you about Michael."

"What about him?" She let her eyes flick to Conner, who was close to her, listening in and keeping watch. "He's vanished, tipped some how. We've got police looking for him, but so far, there haven't been any leads. As soon as we do though, you can bet we'll have him. You stay with those boys. They're the best protection you've got right now." He was trying to tell her something.

"I will." She promised. "Special Agent Smecker?"

"Yes, ma'am?"

"Thank you."

"We'll be in touch." He hung up, the dial tone filling her ears before she put the phone back in the cradle.

"Well?"

"...There was a leak in the department." She admitted. "Michael's in the wind."

Conner cursed, taking a step away, only to come back to her and wrap his arms around her. "Not to worry. You're with us. Safest place to be."

"Is it?" She teased. "I seem to remember-"

"Now, now. None of that." He chuckled. "Come on, let's get some food and head back."


	24. Chapter 23

**To those of you who patiently wait, thank you. And I apologize for the wait.**

 **Script**

Jenna spent the next few months in hiding with the boys as they planned with Smecker and the three cops who'd been put on the case under him. All of them kept her well out of the loop, but she made sure they were well fed and well stocked. She grew to trust their father as she did them, though she was still a bit apprehensive around him. He taught her how to clean and properly load a gun, made sure she knew how to aim it properly.

But the hand to hand combat, he wanted to be sure she knew, didn't go very well. She danced away from him. Literally danced. Twirls and dodges and fancy footwork. She refused to go towards him, to hit him, though he had trouble getting his hands on her, even in the small confines of the room. But when he did, he picked her up and slammed her to the bed. Conner watched with apprehension, though his father just held her there. Waiting for her to unflinch, to figure out how to get out of it. "They won't hesitate, Jenna. They'll not wait for you to come to youer senses. Get hold of youerself and figure it out. Fight through the panic." His voice was soft, commanding. But not cutting through her panic.

He brought out a knife and Murphy held Conner back. As soon as she felt the blade brush against her cheek, a foot popped out, kicking him in the chest. He went down with a rush of air expelled from his lungs, falling into the dresser. She rolled over on the bed, heels over her head, and stood up, bouncing a bit as he looked up at her, hand to his chest. The fear in her eyes told him nothing else would get through to her. He threw the knife at her and she dodged it, diving for the other bed. Her reflexes were sharp, but the panic would be her doom. She landed solidly, but he swept her feet out from underneath her. She landed in Conner and Murphy's arms.

But he was still coming for her. She panicked, fighting against their hold. They had to drop her when she kicked Murphy in the head. She was finished. There was no way she'd be able to fight someone. Defend herself, maybe, enough for someone to get to her, but she would likely not be able to last very long if left to her own. Mr. MacManus backed off, letting the boys tend to her as he pulled his knife out of the wall.

However, her acting skills were phenomenal. They'd had to be, he supposed. And her eye was as keen as anything. He watched his boys as they comforted her. Murphy reassuring her he was fine as Conner just held her close. His eyes clouded with worry.

The protectiveness she incited within his son was cause for concern. But only for a moment as he watched it turn to determination. A determination that said he was not going to leave her side. One that said he'd protect her at all costs. One that meant she was definitely not going to join them when they raided the courthouse. Not that they wanted her there anyways. No, that would be no place for a woman.

~~~~Day of the Trial

Jenna waited on the bed, staring at the closed curtains. She strained her ears for car engines, car doors, murmurs, but so far, everything was silent. For the first time in about six months, she was alone. Completely alone. They had gone to the courthouse to enact their revenge on Yakevetta. His hearing was today. She had been made to stay behind. They would come back for her. Conner had left her a gun.

For six months, they'd been in the crowded motel rooms. They'd lived and planned and plotted together. Now, in the silence... She was alone. She didn't like it anymore. Being alone. The silence was deafening. The air was cold. She felt empty. So empty and numb without them.

A car door slammed. Two. Three. She stood, heart beating in her chest as footsteps thudded in the direction of her door. However, a shot rang out, making her jump, and a hole replaced the lock in the door. She jumped, gun up, safety off. She shot as they kicked the door open, slamming a slug in the chest of one of the men. She nearly broke her nose at the kick, unprepared for the power. She screamed as they charged her. She ran for the bathroom, but a hand at her hair dragged her back.

"No! NO! Let go! Let go of me!" She cried, kicking and screaming. She flailed, kicking containers of old take out over. She kicked the lamp, the TV, she thrashed in his hold, but he held firm. The other grabbed her feet, taking her out of the room. They threw her in the car, leaving their comrade. "NO!" She tried to get out. The door opened, but she was dragged back in and a gun slammed against her head.

A bucket of water was thrown over her, cold water. She gasped awake, jerking, high alert. Only to find the man she never wanted to see again looking down on her.

"Michael." She gasped.

"Oh, sleeping beauty has finally awoken?" He asked. "Well, so nice of you to join us." He leaned down to her face, gripping it tightly as he forced a kiss to her lips. He pulled away, slapping her face in the process. "I missed you. I did." He assured. "Missed seeing the bruises. Missed those eyes of yours, staring up at me, pleadingly. Missed the sight of your blood running. I have been patient, Jenna." He didn't like to be patient.

He grabbed her hair, making her look up at him. She spit in his face.

He wiped it off and slapped her again. "You BETRAYED me!" He shouted, kicking her in the chest. Her chair fell back, making her hit her head so hard that she saw stars. Just bright bursts of light flooding her vision like fireworks. "I should kill you, but... What fun would that be? How would that make you learn your lesson? Hm?"

He brought her back, setting her right, "No, I've got something in mind for you, especially now that I see you've gotten a bit of that fire back. Those boys have been good, haven't they?" He smiled coldly. "Tell me, were you fucking them both or just the one? I'd really like to know... So I can cut their hands off and peel their eyelids away so they can watch what I do to my things." His hands roamed over her hair, her shoulders, her jaw.

"They will kill you." She assured. "They'll come here and they will kill you." Please. Please keep them away. God, please, keep them away!

"Oh, I'd like to see them try." He laughed. "They're so incredibly predictable. So easy to track. Ametuers."

He was behind her now, hands on her shoulders. He squeezed firmly, making her tense and squirm. "What'll you do?" She finally asked. Keep him talking. He likes to talk. She thought to herself. Her head had taken enough abuse. She was surprised her brain wasn't leaking out of her ears yet.

"Oh, you'll like this. I promise." He was out of her eye line. And the tone of voice made her tense.

She was seized, her arms were untied and she was thrown forward in a two man hold. She struggled, but they were so strong. She was tied to a hook and left to swing, her toes barely touching the ground. Fear ate at her as needles of apprehension stung her skin.

She heard something fall, like rope. And then a crack through the air and a sting in her back that left her swinging. Crying out, screaming. Another crack. Another. She screamed at the torturous feel, it felt like her back was exploding. She couldn't escape it. From her shoulders to her waist. She screamed until she tasted blood. She screamed until her voice failed. She screamed and screamed and screamed.

He didn't stop until the flesh of her back was good and tender. And then the carving started. "I want you to remember this moment." He whispered in her ear. Blood dripped to the floor. "This will be the last time you get to see me leave you conscious."

He was halfway up the stairs when the door burst open. He quickly ran back down, drawing a gun as he pulled up behind her. She couldn't breathe from the pain and the sight before her. She couldn't stand on her own, so her raw, bleeding, mutilated back was pressed against him. "You let her go!" A familiar voice ordered.

Far away.

"I'll kill her right here. I swear! Back off! Back off!" He shouted in her ear.

Her dazed eyes finally focused enough to find Smecker pointing a gun at her, his Boston police back up right behind him: Greenly and Dolly... And the one who's name she could never pronounce. "You won't win here. there's no way you get out of this. You're either dead or in cuffs. Which is it gonna be?"

"Well, I guess I've no use for her after all." He cocked the gun and pressed it to her temple.

She cried out, her voice raw and broken so badly it was more a raspy squeak. "If you kill her, you're dead."

She did something no one was expecting. "Get... the fuck... off me!" She squeaked, rearing her head back sharply. A shot ran out as he stumbled away. He went to come back at her, blood blossoming from his shoulder, and she used the last of her strength to kick him in the chest, just like she'd done to Mr. Macmanus. It gave them a cleaner shot as she swung. By God's grace, the bullets missed her. Greenly caught her.

Holding her weight, he whispered, "I gottcha. I gotcha."

"Oh my-"

"Get her in the car. We don't have time for an ambulance." Smecker ordered.

"Con..." She breathed, reaching a hand out to thin air.

Smecker grabbed it. "They're safe. They're just fine. We'll take you to them, Honey. Don't worry." He soothed.

She was so cold, she didn't seem to notice anyone. Not the coat wrapped at her shoulders nor the fact that he was holding her hand. Her eyes rolled up.

"She's going into shock. Go!" Greenly re-situated, cradling her to his chest. They got her into the van, working on her, trying to keep her comfortable and stable.


End file.
